


Blinded by Hatred

by Antarctic_Echoes



Series: Carry On, Wayward Son [12]
Category: Lucifer (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Egyptian Gods, F/M, Grand Romance, Non-Graphic Violence, Some Fluff, Some Lucifer Whump, Strong Language
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-11-13
Updated: 2017-12-19
Packaged: 2019-02-01 19:38:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 27
Words: 66,705
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12711594
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Antarctic_Echoes/pseuds/Antarctic_Echoes
Summary: Lucifer has tried his best to get along with his mother-in-law, no matter how insulting she can be.  After all, Chloe loves her, even though Penelope refuses to acknowledge him and their son.  So what is behind her sudden need to make amends?Lucifer must travel to another plane to prevent the worst, facing several unexpected troubles along the way.





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> Hello, Readers! :D Thank you for being patient with me and reading another installment of the Carry On, Wayward Son series. I promised it wouldn't take another 5 months, and yet... it's been five months. :( Many apologies to you all! I do hope you will enjoy the story!
> 
> A huge thank you to my wonderful friend Navaros. Thank you for all your ideas and support! You are super-awesome! <3
> 
> And a huge thank you to my fantastic beta, ScooterThyme! You are super-awesome, as well! <3
> 
>  
> 
> Disclaimer: Lucifer Morningstar, Chloe Decker, Trixie Decker, Penelope Decker, Mazikeen and Amenadiel are owned by Vertigo Comics, DC Comics, Neil Gaiman, Mike Carey, and everyone else involved with the Lucifer TV show and comic books. I own nothing and make no money on this. I merely am borrowing the characters for... uh... writing practice. All other characters are of my own creation.

 

 

 

Anger is an acid that can do more harm to the vessel in which it is stored  
than to anything on which it is poured.

-Mark Twain

 

  
________________________________________  


 

Penelope Decker wanted to be drunk.

As she sat in the bar, drinking whiskey, she kept hoping the alcohol would put her into a blissful state of oblivion.  She desperately wanted to forget the fact that her daughter -- her precious daughter -- was married to the Devil.  The real, live _Devil._  God’s Bane, the root of all evil in the world....  Just the thought was enough to make her head spin.

She had never believed in such things before, and yet she had been faced with the horrifying truth a month ago.  Demons, angels, and the Devil -- all existed right there in her daughter’s penthouse!  And their son -- her grandson -- was the Antichrist.  Chloe had called and left messages asking her to come visit, but she hadn’t answered any of them.  How could she?  Her son-in-law was the _Devil._  And yet she knew this couldn’t go on for much longer.  She had to get rid of Lucifer, somehow -- free her daughter from his evil grip.  But how?  She had sent over several priests, trying time and again to exorcise Lucifer, but it had all been a failure.  She just didn’t know what else to try  After rubbing her forehead, she downed the rest of her drink before signalling the bartender for another one.

“I hear you have a devil of a problem.”

Sliding a glance at the man who had just slipped into the seat next to her, Penelope laughed with contempt and shook her head.  “You have no idea.”

“Oh, I think I do.”  The man turned to face her.  The actress was struck by the sheer beauty of his face, his striking dark brown eyes, and his glossy black hair.  His clothes were cut well and quite expensive by the looks of it, reminding her of the Devil, who always looked dapper.  The mere thought of her son-in-law sent a shiver down her spine.  Gratefully clutching the drink the bartender set in front of her, she took a sip and felt the alcohol burn down her throat.

The man swiveled in his chair toward her, propping his elbow on the bar counter.  “I can help you with that, you know.”

“I highly doubt it.”  She took another sip of her drink.

He smiled.  “Oh, ye of so little faith.”  Reaching into his suit jacket, he pulled out a vial of a clear liquid.  “This can take care of your problem.”

Penelope squinted at the bottle, but didn’t touch it.  “What is that?”

“Something that can make the Devil disappear -- permanently.”

That caught her attention, and she shot a quick glance at him before her eyes fell to the bottle once more.  How did he know of her problem?  And why was he willing to help?  Swallowing hard, she reached out for the vial, but hesitated just before touching it.  “What will it do?”

The man looked at her with amusement.  “Do you really want to know?”

Did she?  No. she didn’t.  What did it matter, if it got rid of the Devil?  And yet she couldn’t bring herself to take it.

“Have him ingest it, and all your problems will be solved.”

Oh, it sounded so very tempting, but doubt filled her.  She didn’t want to hurt anyone -- she just wanted Lucifer gone from her daughter’s life.  Clenching her fingers into a fist, she drew her hand away from the vial.  “I’m not a murderer.”

“You won’t be murdering, you’ll be ridding the world of the embodiment of evil.  And he’s not human -- remember that.”  He gave her an oily smile.  “Look, you hate him, don’t you? After all, he married your precious daughter....”

The stranger had a point. Lucifer Penelope couldn’t stand Lucifer for bringing her daughter so much misery, abandoning her when she was pregnant, and nearly killing her in a car accident.  Pursing her lips, she weighed her options.

“He is the Devil -- evil incarnate, the bane of all humanity.”  The man leaned close.  “Think of the favor you would be doing for the world.  Getting rid of the Devil forever? Why, your name would be revered for all time!”  

The clear vial glinted in the dim light, beckoning her.

Penelope eyed the liquid before shutting her eyes and snatching it off the bar counter.  Stuffing it in her purse, she looked at the man beside her.  “I’m just going to think about it.”

“Of course.”

“I’m only holding onto this for now.”

He bowed his head in acquiescence.  “You are free to do so.”

Cocking her head at him, she studied the man through narrowed eyes.  “Who are you, anyway?”

A brilliant smile lit his face, practically lighting up the room.  “Just think of me as the answer to your prayers.”

 

 


	2. Life's Little Pleasures

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A super-huge thank you to my excellent beta, ScooterThyme! You rock!

 

 

Lucifer Morningstar had learned a very long time ago never to trust happiness.

Being happy meant that the rug was about to be pulled out from under his feet.  Whenever he felt joy set his heart alight, he worried, for it signaled that something horribly devastating was about to occur.  Lighting the stars had resulted in getting appointed as the Left Hand of God, which ultimately led to the Fall.  Being the apple of his mother’s eye ended with her hating him after he had to incarcerate her at dad’s behest.  Bad luck followed him around like it was chained to him.

And now there was one person in his life who brought him more pleasure than anything ever had in his entire life -- Chloe.  He could hardly believe his good fortune in having met her.  Then again, she had been waiting for him for centuries....  A smile touched his face as he thought of his wife.  Oh, to be sure, she was beautiful inside, but that wasn’t what had drawn him to her.  No, it was her heart -- her compassion and goodness that shone brighter the stars.  She brought him an inordinate amount of joy -- and it scared him.

True, not much time had passed since he had met her -- at least, not long for an immortal -- but that still didn’t mean something bad wasn’t around the corner.  Lately he had been plagued by nightmares as his fears caught up with him.  He tried to hide them from her by sitting in the living room for long hours during the night before slipping back into bed before she woke, but she was the best detective in the world -- she knew something was up.  The few times when he had awoken her with his thrashing about, she asked him what was wrong.  Unable to lie to her, he had just held onto her for dear life until the trembling subsided.  She never pushed, but he could see by her worried eyes that she knew something was bothering him.

Things were going too well -- he was too happy.  It boded ill.

Turning in bed so that he faced Chloe, he watched her sleep peacefully in the moonlight.  Warmth filled his chest as he reached across and tucked a stray lock of hair behind her ear.  She was so beautiful, inside and out....  He didn’t know what he’d do if anything ever happened to her.

He blinked when her eyes suddenly opened and studied him intently.  Swallowing hard, he pasted a smile on his face.  “Sorry, dearheart, I didn’t mean to wake you.”

Usually she smiled back at him, but this time she didn’t.  Her eyes were serious as she reached over and stroked his cheek.  “What’s wrong, Lucifer?”

What could he say?  He didn’t want to worry her with his unfounded fears.  Rolling to his back, he stared up at the ceiling.  He felt the mattress give as she propped an elbow on the bed and rested her head on her hand.  

“You haven’t been the same ever since your fight with Michael.  What happened down there?”

Refusing to look at her, he instead bit his lower lip and worried it between his teeth.

Chloe reached over and caressed his chest.  “Come on, Lucifer -- you’re my husband.  We promised never to keep secrets from one another, remember?  Tell me.”

Well, that was true -- he’d have to tell her, only he didn’t want her to worry.  What to do, what to do....  Sighing heavily, he plucked her hand from his chest and kissed her palm.  “You’re my world.”

Her eyebrows raised at that.  “And you’re mine.”

“I just... it’s...”  He broke off, then rolled back onto his side to face her.  When he looked into her eyes, he found himself speechless.  How could he admit that he was afraid of losing her?  The Devil was afraid of nothing!  And yet, he was -- terribly.  And worse still, she would think he was a fool for fearing something that was completely groundless.

So he reached for her instead, drawing her close and kissing her with all the love he had inside of him until she kissed him back.  Words were forgotten as he showed her with his heart and body how much she meant to him.

 

 

________________________________________

 

 

“I’m not letting this go, you know.”  Chloe said against his chest after their tumultuous lovemaking.

Lucifer sighed as he hugged her to him, running his hands up and down her back.  “I know.”  He kissed her hair before pressing his cheek against it.  “I know.”

“So talk to me.”  Lacing her hands on his chest, she rested her chin on them and studied him with eyes that gleamed in the moonlight.

He couldn’t hold her gaze.  Turning away, he stared at the dark walls around him.  “You’ll think me a fool.”

“I will not.”

“Well,  _ I _ do.”  Sighing heavily, he tightened his hold on her.  “Can’t we just... can’t we make love again?”

Her eyes narrowed.  “We won’t make  _ any _ love if you don’t tell me what’s going on with you.”

And that was something he couldn’t bear.  No sex with his lovely wife?  Unacceptable!  He had had enough of that while her body recovered from the pregnancy.  He wasn’t about to endure that again unless he absolutely had to.  “Oh, very well.”

Thinking hard, he opened his mouth to speak, then shut it again.  He didn’t like admitting any fears to anyone.  Long ago when he was a lad, he had confided in his siblings about his fears -- and that had resulted in ridicule and torment.  He had sworn never to make the same mistake again.  Even though he knew Chloe would never make fun of him, the scars from his childhood still remained.

But he trusted her, more than he trusted anyone.  He could do this.

“I...  I’m....”  The word “afraid” stuck in his throat.  No matter how hard he tried to say the word, he couldn’t get it out.  Perhaps a less direct approach would work better...?  “Right.  Have you ever wondered if things... well, things were too....  I mean, I’m happy, and... well....”

Her eyes widened slightly.  “You’re worried that this is too good to be true.  You think something bad is going to happen.”

Ah, his detective was so sharp -- how he loved her brilliant mind.  Witty, intelligent, insightful... she never ceased to impress him.  “Yes.  After Mike almost killed me, I realized once again how lucky I was to have you in my life.  How wonderful it is to have family... people who love me.  But nothing good in my life has ever lasted.”  His face softened as he gazed at her.  “And if anything should ever happen to you --”  He broke off as he reached out and caressed her cheek.  “I can’t go on living.  I wouldn’t want to.”

Shifting her position, Chloe pressed her cheek to his chest and hugged him tightly.  “Nothing’s going to happen, husband.  We finally found each other after centuries -- I’m not about to let you go.  You’ll never be rid of me.”  He felt her smile against him.  “I’ll stick to you like glue.  No, better yet -- like that goat rumor you so love.”

He cringed.  “Please don’t bring that up.”

Chuckling, she glanced up at him with a mischievous glint in her eye.  “You have to admit, that old rumor about you being a goat never goes away.”

“I just don’t understand it.  It’s appalling, it really is.”

“There, there.”  She patted his chest.  “No need to get upset.”

“But I don’t even like their cheese!”

“I wouldn’t mind the horns, you know.”  Reaching up, Chloe ruffled his hair as her voice took on a sensuous tone.  “I think you would look awfully sexy with them.”

Lucifer’s insides lit up as arousal stirred within him.  Running his hands up and down her body, he grinned down at her.  “Really?”

“Mmm hmmm.   _ Very _ sexy -- and adorable.”

His libido shriveled up at her words.  “Adorable?!  But... but the Devil is not adorable!  Sexy, yes.  Handsome, most certainly.  Dashing, irresistible, exquisite in my naked splendor --”

“And adorable.”  

A loud groan escaped the fallen angel, but when he heard Chloe giggle, his mouth quirked up at the corners.  How he loved her laugh!

“Look,” she said, growing serious.  “Nothing’s going to happen.  We have a wonderful life together -- nothing’s going to take that away.  Trust me.”

Lucifer let out a pent-up breath as he felt a month’s worth of tension slowly ease from his body.  “I trust you, dearheart.  You know I do.”

She pulled away and smiled down at him.  “Good.  Then I think it’s about time you showed me some of those moves you’re famous for, Mister Morningstar.  I haven’t seen enough of them lately.”

Passion stirred to life once more, setting him on fire and bringing a flush to his cheeks as he lifted an eyebrow.  “Is that a fact?”

Chloe gazed at him with hungry eyes.  “You’ve been remiss in your duties, husband.”

“Well, we’ll just have to remedy that, won’t we?”  With a wicked grin, Lucifer pulled her close and proceeded to show her some of the special moves he reserved just for her.

 

 

________________________________________

 

 

“Daddy!”

Lucifer let out an “oof” as Trixie, clad in her pajamas, leaped on top of the bed covers and used the Big Splash wrestling move to pin him on the bed.  Ever since he had agreed to let her call him “Daddy,” it had become the little girl’s habit to wake up early and jump all over him before she got ready for school.  He really couldn’t understand how this ritual began or why she seemed to enjoy smashing him into the bed, but there it was.  Luckily, he always made sure he had finished making love to Chloe and put on some boxer shorts before the child came in.  The first time it happened had been... hair-raising.  Well, not for him, but for Chloe, who had been horrified and warned him to stay under the covers or else she’d kill him.  He smiled at the memory.  Ahhh, he just loved his wife’s fire....

“When do I get to go to Hell?” Trixie asked excitedly.  “Are we going camping soon?”

“No one is going camping in Hell,” Chloe said as she walked out of the master bathroom fully dressed, and stood at the foot of the bed with her arms akimbo.  “Baby, shouldn’t you be getting ready for school?”

“I still have time.”  The little girl snuggled close to the fallen angel and stared at him with puppy dog eyes.  “Please, Daddy, please?  I really want to see Paimon’s camel!”

Oh goodness no, not the puppy dog eyes!  Lucifer squeezed his eyes shut and tried his best to resist their hypnotic pull.  “Ask your mother, child.”

“But she’ll say no --”

“She’s saying no right now,” Chloe interrupted.  “Trixie, go get dressed.”

“Awww, but Mommy --”

“Don’t you ‘but Mommy’ me, young lady.  Daddy has to make breakfast, so go on!”

As Trixie reluctantly got off the bed and walked slowly past her mother with her shoulders slumped, Chloe gave her a little scoot out the door.  Lucifer sat up in bed and leaned against the headrest, his hands behind his head as he smiled with pleasure.  “She wants to go to Hell. I don’t think I’ve ever met anyone who  _ wanted _ to go to my realm, before.”

Crossing her arms in front of her chest, she gave him the evil eye.  “This isn’t something you should be happy about.”

“Well, no... but it obviously makes her happy.”  He tried to do the puppy-dog eye thing, but it only seemed to annoy Chloe, for her mouth tightened into a straight line.

“Well, don’t get too smug about it because she’s not going.”

“But if it’s what the child wants --”

“No.”  Glaring at him, she said, “Don’t you have to make breakfast?”

Lucifer knew that look.  Grinning, he popped out of bed and planted a smooch on Chloe’s lips before reaching for his silk robe.  Tying it on, he said, “I’m on my way....”

 

 

________________________________________

 

 

“Mom’s driving me insane.”

At Chloe’s exclamation, Lucifer looked up from his seat across from Emrys in his high chair.  The little scamp was more interested in throwing food than he was in eating it, and the Devil now found himself covered in cereal.  Rolling his eyes, Lucifer wondered why in the world his son loved to torture him so.  Even after their little excursion to Hell, the baby was still giving him a hard time.  Of course, Trixie thought the whole thing was absolutely hilarious as she giggled into her omelette.  The fallen angel glared at her, which just made her laugh even harder.

Now that Emrys was a large as a one year old, Chloe had decided that it was time to start introducing him to solid food.  The change in menu infuriated the baby, who showed his displeasure in a million different ways.  And truthfully, Lucifer really couldn’t bring himself to be upset with his son -- there was nothing quite like Mum’s milk.

“So that’s who just called?”  Lucifer straightened and brushed the cereal out of his hair.  “Is she going to send over another priest?”

“If she does, I’m going to scream.”  Running a hand through her blonde hair, she joined them at the dining table and took a bite of her omelette.  “She’s sent a different priest to exorcise you every Monday for four weeks straight now.  She won’t listen to me when I tell her that you’re not who she thinks you are!” 

The fallen angel shrugged.  He was used to contempt... and truth be told, now that he had a lovely family, he really didn’t care what other people thought of him.  He was content in his own little world... well, except for the fact that Chloe was unhappy -- that was unacceptable. Leaning across the table, he squeezed her hand.

“It’s all right, dearheart.  So she hates me -- it doesn’t matter.”

She bristled at his words.  “It matters to me.”

With worried eyes, Trixie looked at them both.  “How come Nana doesn’t like you, Daddy?  You’re the best --”

“I’m the Devil, child.  It’s causing all sorts of distress to your grandmum,” Lucifer said.

“And it shouldn’t,” his wife added.  “She just makes me so mad sometimes!”

“Look, love, I’m the one she has a grudge against, and if it doesn’t bother me, why should it bother you?”

“Because you’re my husband, and you’re a good man!” Chloe snapped.  Lucifer blinked with surprise at her unexpected reaction, while Trixie jumped in her chair.  Even Emrys dropped his cereal to stare at her with wide eyes.  Waving her hand, she shook her head and glanced at him apologetically.  “I’m sorry. I’m not mad at you.”  She gave her daughter a wobbly smile.  “Hey, monkey, are you finished eating?  Go get your books -- I’ll take you to school.”

Trixie excused herself and rushed off, looking relieved to escape the table.  Sighing, Lucifer rose and picked up Emrys before standing next to Chloe’s chair.

“It’s all right, my dear.  I’m used to it.”

“Well, I’m not.  It’s not right.”  She shoved more food into her mouth, then downed it with a gulp of coffee.  “It’s just that I’m sick of her refusal to come to terms with the truth.”

“I know.”  Reaching over, Lucifer massaged the back of her neck with his free hand, although it did little to relieve the tension he could feel vibrating from her.  “So what does she want?”

“She wants to come over.  Today.”

His brows furrowed with confusion.  “But... that’s a good thing, isn’t it?”

Shaking her head, Chloe glanced up at him with concern in her eyes.  “Not when it’s my first day back at work.  I’ll only be gone for a half day, but I don’t like the thought that she might come when I’m not here.  You need protection.”

A smile lit up Lucifer’s face.  “My dear wife, I’m the Devil.  I can handle one mother-in-law.”

“You’ve never seen her on the warpath.”  Throwing down her napkin onto the table, Chloe nodded to herself.  “I’ll call in sick, push back my first day by a week --”

“Absolutely not.  You’ve been looking forward to this day for weeks, and I’m not about to let your mother ruin your return.”  Leaning down, he kissed her gently on the lips.  “You go on, darling -- don’t worry about me.  I will be fine.  You’ll see.”

 

 


	3. Penelope's Visit

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A huge thank you to my awesome beta, ScooterThyme! You're awesome!

 

 

Although Lucifer did his best not to fret about the upcoming meeting with Penelope, he couldn’t help but worry.  While he liked Chloe’s mother, it was quite obvious that she did not like him, despite his angelic charm.  He knew the friction between them was upsetting to his wife even though she denied it, so he wanted to do his best to patch things up with the older woman.  He did have doubts about how well it would go -- Penelope had sent over several priests to exorcise him, after all -- but he wanted to make his wife happy.  If that meant bending over backwards to please his mother-in-law, so be it.  Chloe’s happiness meant everything to him.  And, truth be told, he very much wanted Penelope to like him.  

When his mother-in-law called to say she would arrive at eleven o’clock, Lucifer took deep breaths and tried to still the fluttering in his stomach.  Drinking Scotch helped a bit, although he had to hold his beverage away from Emrys, who gurgled and reached for the tumbler full of amber liquid.

“No, you little scamp, this is  _ my _ drink.”  He placed it on the end table and tried to get comfortable with his son beside him.  The little baby crawled over him toward the drink, but Lucifer picked him up and resettled him on the couch.  “Listen, Emrys, if I give that to you, your mother would murder me, affix my head on a pike and display it on the balcony.  Now you really don’t want to see that happen to me, do you?”

The dark-haired baby quickly flapped his downy wings -- which Lucifer had come to realize was his way of showing happiness -- before nodding his head and gurgling happily.

Flinging his hands up, Lucifer shot a dark look skyward.  “Splendid.  My own son wants me dead.”  Reaching over, he picked up an old copy of Dante’s Inferno and opened it up.  “Now then, why don’t we have us a good laugh?  They don’t call it The Divine Comedy for nothing....”

He had just finished telling his son about the completely laughable way Dante and Virgil had made their way into Hell when the elevator dinged.  Looking up, he saw the doors slide open and a nervous Penelope enter the penthouse.  Flashing a grin at the baby, he slammed the book shut and tossed it on the coffee table.  “And that is your grandmother, Emrys.”

Reaching over to the end table for his glass, he downed the rest of his Scotch.  “Right.”  He picked up the squirming bundle in his arms and sauntered over to his mother-in-law.  Standing before her, he gave her his most charming grin.  “Welcome, Penelope!  It’s so nice to see you.”

Her gaze darted left and right, then met his eyes for a brief second before scanning the room once again.  

“Won’t you sit down?  Can I get you a drink?”  With one hand, he grabbed two old-fashioned tumblers from the bar cabinet.  Setting his son down on the counter, he placed the glasses well away from Emrys’s curious hands and uncorked the decanter of Scotch.

Penelope stared at him, horrified.  “You are drinking around your baby?!”

Uh-oh, this wasn’t a good start.  His hand faltered, then rested the top of the Scotch decanter loosely back onto the container before he picked up his son.  Turning, he held up the baby.  “Would you like to hold your grandson?”

Her face grew pale and she grimaced, like she was going to vomit.  “No.  No thanks.”

“But he has a nice set of wings.  To be sure, they are still covered with down and look similar to baby penguin wings, but they do have a certain  _ je ne sais quoi _ about them, wouldn’t you agree?”  He turned the baby’s back toward the woman.  “You see?”

If anything, she looked even more ill.  “He... he has wings?”

Lucifer blinked.  “Are you unwell?  You look a bit peaked --”

She swallowed hard.  “I’m fine.”  Giving him and the baby a wide berth, she skirted her way around him to perch on the couch.

He sighed.  This was not going well.  Bouncing Emrys up and down, he took a seat in the armchair opposite his mother-in-law.  “What was it you wished to see me about?”

Penelope fidgeted with the strap of the purse she still had tucked close to her.  Her knee bounced up and down.  “I... I thought we might bury the hatchet.”

He froze, unable to believe his ears.  Never in his wildest dreams had he expected Penelope to try to make peace with him, now that she knew he was the Devil.    “I beg your pardon?”

She took a deep breath.  “I love my daughter.  I don’t want to be estranged from her.”

For a moment doubts filled him.  She wanted to forgive and forget, was that it?  Knowing what he was, was it possible for her to accept him just like that?

Then with a rueful chuckle, he pushed his misgivings away.  This was Penelope -- Chloe’s mother.  Of course she’d be able to accept him... why wouldn’t she?  She had given birth to the incarnation of the Goddess of Compassion, after all -- surely some of that goodness in Chloe was also in her...?  Warmth spread through his chest as affection for his mother-in-law grew inside of him like a delicate flower.  He felt lighter than air, as if he had suddenly taken flight.  

Lucifer beamed at her, his expression more radiant than the sun.  “Truly?  I... I’d like that.  I know that my being... well, the Devil... doesn’t sit well with you, but I think you’ll find my reputation has been grossly exaggerated.”  Still, despite his happiness, he couldn’t help but ask her, “Are... are you sure?”

Looking somewhat uncomfortable, she smiled at him.  He supposed it would take her a while to get used to the idea of having the Devil for a son-in-law.  “I’m sure.”

“Splendid!”  With a whoop, he stood up, clutching Emrys to him like a stuffed toy.  The baby laughed and hugged him back.  “You’ll find I can be very useful.  I’m charming, I can find out a person’s deepest desires, and I make the best deals.”

Her voice was dry.  “I’m sure you do.”

A laugh escaped him.  “Right.  I’ll pour us some drinks to celebrate --”

“No.”  Penelope suddenly stood up.  “I’ll do it... as a show of faith.”

He could hardly believe his ears.  Things were looking better and better!  He couldn’t keep from grinning.  “Very well.”

He watched as she made her way to the bar, her back to him as she poured the amber liquid.  In a few minutes she turned back around, a smile on her face as she held up the old-fashioned tumbler with a two fingers of Scotch.  “For you.”

His eyebrows rose.  “None for you?”

“My doctor said I should abstain for a while.”  She gave a light chuckle.  “Not good for my liver.”

“I see.  That is a shame, but I will accept your gesture of good faith.”  As Lucifer reached for the glass, Emrys’s face suddenly scrunched up and he let out a howl.  Panicked, the fallen angel felt his son’s bottom.  It was wet -- of course.  When was the little scamp  _ not _ wet?

“Ah... right.  I’m sorry, Penelope.  I’ll be right back.  The little anklebiter needs to be changed.”  He turned away from the woman, then shot her a hopeful glance over his shoulder.  ‘Unless you would like to....?”

She shuddered.  “No.”

“Very well.”  Walking quickly down the hall to the nursery, he gave his son a baleful glance.  “I’ll have you know you ruined a perfectly good peace treaty moment.”

Emrys only howled louder.

“I know, I know, I’m getting to it!”  Huffing with frustration, he hurried to the changing table.  As he expertly pulled out the new diaper and stripped his son out of his clothes, he sighed.  “Demanding, aren’t you?  Stay still, now.”

Having become an expert at changing nappies, he swiftly cleaned up his son.  Emrys gave a joyful gurgle and fluttered his little wings.  Lucifer smiled at his handiwork and carried his son back into the living room, only to find Penelope heading toward the elevator at a fast clip.

Caught off-guard, he froze.  “Where are you going?”  

“I got a call for an audition.”  She jabbed at the call button.

“But... the drink...?”

She turned at that.  “Oh yes. It’s right there, on the bar.  Be sure to drink it all, now.  It will seal our newfound... relationship.”

“Right.  I will!” he called happily to Penelope as the doors closed on her.  She gave him a smile and a wave.  Lucifer looked down at his son as he made his way to the bar and the drink that awaited him.  “Well, what do you think of that, child?”

Emrys blinked at him, then let out an ear-piercing screech.

The Devil gaped at the baby.  “Bloody hell, what is it now?  I just changed you!”  Wilting under his son’s fierce gaze, he nodded.  “Food.  It’s food, isn’t it?  I should have known.  Food, sleep, and a clean nappy are all you ever desire.  As the son of the Devil, you should be coveting much more imaginative things!  We really must have a long discussion about this....”

  
  
  


________________________________________

 

 

By the time Lucifer had finished feeding and burping his son, he was more than ready for the drink that Penelope had poured for him.  Throughout Emrys’s feeding, he found himself thinking of the Scotch that awaited him.  It called to him like a siren’s song, which was definitely... odd.  He found his gaze returning over and over to the bar, and more than once he found his footsteps heading there, only to be stopped by Emrys’s grizzling.

At last when his son was fed, the fallen angel shifted the baby to a more comfortable position in his arms and headed for the bar.  Pausing at the counter, he wondered why this particular drink was so special.  Was it because Penelope had poured it for him, as a gesture of peace between them?  A smile touched his lips.  Perhaps.  It felt good that she was willing to dispense with her grievances against him.  Lifting the glass to eye level, he studied the multitude of resinous colors shining in the light.  It was really quite beautiful....

As he lifted the drink to his lips, the elevator dinged.  Distracted, he lowered the glass.  Had Penelope returned?

Chloe walked into the living room, her face dark like a thundercloud.  Lucifer’s welcoming smile fell from his face.  “Dearheart...?”

She strode right up to him, took the tumbler out of his hand and downed the entire contents.  Closing her eyes, she threw her head back to the ceiling and sighed.  ‘Oh, I needed that.”  

He could only stare in surprise at her actions.  “Are you all right, love?”

When she lowered her head to look at him, her face looked much more relaxed.  “I had a hard day.”

“I can see that.  What happened?”

Chloe slammed the glass down on the counter and waved her hand.  “They gave my office away to some newbie, and stuck me in the corner of the bullpen because I’ve been gone so long.  Then the lieutenant assigned me a new partner --”

Lucifer’s mouth fell open.  “But  _ I’m _ your partner!”

“I know, but you need to stay home and look after Emmie, and they know that.”  Pulling at the back of her neck, she squeezed her eyes shut.  “And get this -- my new partner is the newbie who took over my office.”

Indignation burned in the fallen angel, setting his eyes aglow.  “That’s not right.  I’ll fix this for you --”

“No, it’s fine.”  A harsh laugh escaped her.  “I was expecting something like this.  I’m just glad to be home.”  A smile finally lit her face as she opened her arms to Emrys, who gurgled in delight at the sight of her.  “How’s my boy?”

Lucifer transferred the little spawn to his wife and gazed tenderly at the sight of Chloe hugging their son.  When he saw the baby’s little wings flap rapidly as he laughed with his mother, warmth spread through the fallen angel’s insides like a flood, even reaching his fingers and toes until he practically glowed.  How he loved his family!

“How did the meeting with my mother go?” Chloe asked as she bounced the baby up and down in her arms.  Her mouth quirked upwards.  “The penthouse isn’t destroyed, so it couldn’t have gone too bad.”

“On the contrary, my dear, it went quite well.”  Grinning, Lucifer guided her to the kitchen.  “I’ll tell you all about it while I make you lunch....”

 

 


	4. The Ailment

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A super-huge thank you to my wonderful beta ScooterThyme! You rock!

 

 

It was about an hour after lunch that Chloe started to feel ill.  Chills, headachy, sick to her stomach... maybe it was the flu?  Fighting off the symptoms as best she could, she went to the medicine cabinet in the master bathroom and took a couple of Advil.  Hopefully she’d start feeling better shortly.

“Are you all right?” Lucifer asked as she walked into the living room.  Shifting Emrys from one arm to the other, he strode over to her, his face full of concern.  “You look a bit peaked, darling.”

She gave him a reassuring smile.  “I’m okay.  Just feeling a little off.  I think I may have eaten something that didn’t agree with me.”

He didn’t smile back.  “Let me call Rafe --”

“Oh no, it’s okay.  I don’t want to bother him over nothing --.”

“It’s not nothing if you’re not well, dearheart.  I’ll have Amenadiel call -- ow, you little monster!”  Lucifer glared at Emrys as the baby grabbed a fistful of his short hair and yanked.  Reaching up, the fallen angel tried to pry the little hand away, but Emrys held on with a death grip and giggled.  “Ow, ow, ow!  I’ll have you know you’re ruining an hour’s worth of proper styling!”

Chloe chuckled at Lucifer’s howling.  “More than an hour, husband.”

Giving her a dark look, the Devil took a deep breath and tugged at his son’s hand.  “Come on, child, let go of Daddy’s hair, will you?”

“Dada, Dada!” the baby squealed with a huge grin.  Releasing Lucifer’s hair, he began slapping the fallen angel’s face.

Lucifer turned sad eyes to his wife as he let his son beat him up.  “He loves abusing me.”

“Hey, Emmie, no.  Do not hit Daddy.”  As soon as Chloe pulled the baby out of her husband’s arms, Emrys immediately quieted down.

“No?” the baby asked, flashing a charming grin at her.

Chloe felt her insides melt at his expression.  Emrys was definitely his father’s son -- he could break hearts with that smile.  Trying hard to be stern, she shook her head.  “No.  Daddy is not a toy.”

“Mama.”  The baby ruffled his downy wings as he snuggled up to her and closed his eyes.  In minutes, he was asleep.

“I don’t understand why he’s so good with you and such a horror with me,” Lucifer grumbled as Chloe hugged her baby to her.  

“You let him get away with it.  You have to be firm.”

“But if it’s what he desires --”

She shook her head.  “Boundaries, Lucifer.  Children need boundaries.  It’s our job as parents to teach him right from wrong, and hitting people is definitely wrong.  We don’t want Emrys to grow up thinking it’s okay to beat people up, right?”  At his disgruntled expression, she gaped at him.  “Do _you_ think it’s okay for him to be hitting people?”

“Of course not!  It’s just that....” He broke off and looked away.

“What?”

“I worry about his free will,” Lucifer finally said.

Chloe laughed.  “He’s a baby!”

“Yes, but....”

Reaching out with her free hand, she squeezed his arm.  “Look, I know you’re worried, but he has no reasoning skills yet.  When he grows older we can reason with him, but right now we can’t.  And I don’t want him turning into a bully.”

“Nor do I.  We have enough bullies in the world as it is... and besides, there’s a special place in Hell reserved for them.”

“There you go, then.  You don’t want Emmie to end up in Hell, do you?”

The fallen angel suddenly started staring at the ceiling like he was in the Sistine Chapel.  “Well... _he_ is the Crown Prince --”

“Not this again.”  Sighing, Chloe rolled her eyes.  “Lucifer, no.”

“But --”

_“No.”_

“Oh, very well.”  He pouted for a moment, then gazed at her as his expression softened.  Leaning forward, he furrowed his brows as he studied her complexion.  Worry laced his voice.  “Dearheart, you look awfully pale.  Here, let me put Emrys in bed.”   Before she could say a word, Lucifer plucked the sleeping baby out of her arms and carried him to his crib.  A few minutes later, he returned to her, his face full of concern.  “You need to lie down.”

“I’m fine,” she said, even though she really didn’t feel well.  Her insides felt shaky and her limbs felt heavier than they ever had... but the Advil would kick in soon -- at least she hoped it would.

“No arguments, my dear.  Come on.”  Sweeping her off her feet, he cradled her to his chest and carried her to bed.

She chuckled even as she protested.  “Lucifer, put me down.  I’m perfectly capable of walking!”

Waggling his brows, he gave her a wicked grin.  “Please, my dear, don’t spoil my fun.  It’s not every day I get to carry my wife to bed --”

“You carry me every night.”

“But it isn’t night, is it?”  Laying her on the bed, he leaned close, his eyes warm and full of mischief.  His voice teased her with its sensuous tone.  “It’s day.”

A burst of laughter escaped her lips.  “Well, I can’t argue with that.”

For a moment he lingered over her, his gaze smoldering as his eyes traced over her features.  Despite feeling ill, Chloe felt her insides burn with desire.  Whenever he looked upon her with such hunger, such fire, she felt a thrill right down to the marrow of her bones.  She was the only one who could inspire such passion in him, and it made her feel strong and powerful -- like a goddess.

Suddenly pulling away, he straightened and shook his head.  “No -- I can’t be doing this.  You aren’t well.”  He reached for the nightgown under her pillow.  “Here, let me help you into your nightgown.”  

Feeling like he had just poured a cold bucket of water on her head, she pouted.  She really couldn’t complain, though, for his touch was gentle as he undressed her and slipped the silk gown over her head.  Once done, he leaned forward and kissed her softly on the lips.  “There.”

As he tucked her in, she gazed up at him.  “And what are you going to do?”

“Have a drink, I suppose.”  His hands faltered on the bed covers.  “I hadn’t really thought about it.  It’s nice to have a bit of peace and quiet when Emrys is asleep.”

“You can have a bit of peace and quiet here.”  Looking at him with hope in her eyes, she raised her eyebrows suggestively.

He bit his lower lip.  “But... you’re not feeling well.”

She patted the mattress beside her.  “I’d feel better if you held me.”

Brightening, Lucifer quickly stripped out of his clothes and slipped between the sheets.  A smile touched Chloe’s lips as he spooned with her, pulling her close in his embrace.  

“Mmm, this is nice,” he rumbled.

She caressed his arm around her waist.  “You won’t leave?”

His voice was warm in her ear.  “Not even to pick up Beatrice.  I’ll call Amenadiel later.”

With a sigh of contentment, she relaxed and let herself fall asleep.

 

 

________________________________________

 

 

Lucifer hardly slept.  As he lay awake with Chloe in his arms, all the anxiety he had been holding at bay came back with a vengeance.  Was this the beginning of what he feared?  Would he now lose everything he held dear?  Squeezing his eyes shut, he shook his head.  No.  No, it couldn’t be.  It was just a little human illness. She said it herself, it was nothing.  She would be fine....

Still, he couldn’t help but worry.  Chloe was his world -- he couldn’t even conceive of a life without her.  Just the thought of her gone from his life sent his heart pounding in his chest as chills washed over him.  Tightening his grip on her, he buried his nose in her hair and struggled to relax.  She was here in his arms, and nothing was going to happen to her.  Breathing in the fragrance of her shampoo, he reveled in her soft body molding to his, and told himself that everything was fine.  He was not cursed....  He could be happy, damn it.  He _could._

How long he lay there, he didn’t know, but he had just dozed off when Chloe suddenly pulled out of his arms and rushed to the master bathroom.  Sitting up, he squinted at the watch he had forgotten to take off  -- it was only four o’clock.  Worry filled him as he heard his wife retching in the other room.  Throwing back the covers, he got to his feet and rushed to her, grabbing his silk robe on a nearby chair along the way and stuffing himself into it.

His heart pounded furiously as he entered the bathroom and saw his wife hugging the commode, her face pale and drawn.  “Dearheart --”

She looked up at his with pain-glazed eyes.  “Not... not feeling very good.”

“Here, let me help.”  Grabbing a nearby washcloth, he ran warm water over it, then sat on his haunches next to her and gently swabbed her face.  Fear swept through him as he saw how ill she looked.  “Come on, love, I’ll carry you back to bed.”

“I can walk --”

“Humor me, darling.”  Before she could protest, he picked her up in his arms and carried her to the master bedroom.  The hard vibrations of her body as she shook violently against him sent chills up and down his spine, and the blood drained out of his face as he set her down.  This was no simple cold -- at least it didn’t seem like that to him.  Biting his lower lip, he struggled to hide the ominous feeling that crept over him as he tucked the covers around her.  

When he stroked her cheek gently, she sighed and mumbled, “Sorry.”

“Nothing to be sorry about, love.”  He gazed down at her, his expression soft, even though a band around his chest constricted painfully and cut his breath short.  With trembling hands, he pulled the covers under her chin, then straightened.  “Right.  I’m calling Rafe.  Now.”

Chloe’s eyes flew open at that.  “But... I don’t want to bother him.  It’s just stomach flu, or something --”

“I don’t care.  He’s my brother, and I can bother him if I want.  You come first, dearheart.”  Before she could protest, he kissed her forehead then strode out of the room, grabbing his trousers off the floor as he did so.  Once at the bar, he fished his phone out of the trouser pocket and called Amenadiel.  As he listened to the ringing tone, he drummed his fingers on the counter.  “Come on, pick up.  Pick up, damn you.”

After what felt like forever, his brother finally answered the phone.  “Luci, this better be damned important --”

“It is.”  Just as Lucifer opened his mouth to elaborate, he heard Maze yell in the background.

“Come on, sexy beast!  It’s time for your spanking and torture!”  

Amenadiel’s voice grew distant as he held the device away from his mouth.  “In a minute, Maze.  Luci’s on the -- ow!  Ohhh, you’re going to pay for that, you vicious little demon --”  

“Sweet talk will get you nowhere....”

Lucifer rolled his eyes as he waited for the angel to come back on the line.  At any other time he would have laughed, but Chloe was suffering and he just wanted his brother to get back on the line...!  He finally let his anger boil over.  “Bloody hell, Amenadiel, will you just _talk to me?!”_

The angel sounded furious when he finally returned the phone.   _”What_ do you _want?”_

“Right.  Chloe is very ill.  She needs Rafe right away.”  

All anger left Amenadiel’s voice.  “Aww, man.  Sorry Luci.  I’ll call Raphael right now.”

“Splendid.  And can you pick up Trixie from school at 6 pm?  It’s her long day.  I don’t want to leave Chloe....”

“You got it.”

“Thanks, bro.”  As the tension in his chest eased, he smirked.  “I’ll let you get back to your dungeon master now.”

Time never seemed so slow as Lucifer dressed, then paced the living room floor as he waited for Raphael to arrive.  Relief flooded his insides when he finally caught sight of the healer landing on his balcony.  With quick strides he went to meet him.

“What’s going on?” the angel asked as he folded his wings.  

Lucifer took a hold of Raphael’s arm and led him to the master bedroom.  “It’s Chloe -- she’s terribly ill.  She threw up a few minutes ago....”  

As he watched his brother walk past him into the bedroom to look Chloe over, a chill ran through the fallen angel and he shuddered.  The feeling of impending doom suddenly overwhelmed him, drowning him in panic, but he fought it off.  Rafe would be able to heal her.  Yes, of course he would....  He _would._

 

 


	5. Initial Diagnosis

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A really big shout out to my excellent beta, ScooterThyme! Thank you!

 

 

Lucifer hung back at the doorway as Raphael made his way into the master bedroom.  Biting his lower lip, he tried not to fidget as the healer took a seat on the bed beside the prone woman.  To the Devil’s eyes, Chloe looked worse than she had a mere ten minutes ago -- even more pale, if that were possible, and haggard.  Hopefully that was just his imagination, but he feared it wasn’t.

Although he had pushed it away, the ominous feeling slowly crept back like cancer, poisoning his thoughts with visions of the worst-case scenario -- death.  What would he do without his Chloe?  He’d die, that’s what.  She was his entire world, and even imagining a world without her in it stabbed him in the chest like a fiery brand to the heart.  

Of course, she was a goddess -- she would be reincarnated, but then he’d have to find her.  Would he be able to?  He’d have to wait twenty-one years for her to reach adulthood, and then interview six billion people.  And what if she was in a third world country and didn’t live long enough to become an adult? She’d be reincarnated once again, leaving him looking for a person of the wrong age.  Not only that, she wouldn’t have any recollection of him, of their life together, so she wouldn’t be able to track  _ him _ down.  Finding each other would be like searching for a needle in a haystack.  

Meanwhile, while he waited for her to mature, he’d have to raise the children by himself, which scared him to death.  Without Chloe’s guiding hand, how was he to give them the love and care they needed?  Not only would they grow up without a mother, they’d have to make do with an incompetent failure of a father, and that gave him chills.  He did not want to end up like Dad, neglecting or abusing his own children.

No, it didn’t even bear thinking about.

“Lucifer?” Chloe mumbled without opening her eyes.  The sound of her voice distracted the fallen angel from his dark ruminations and pulled him back to the present.

His brother smiled down at her.  “No -- Raphael.”

“Oh no....”  Chloe looked up at him and frowned.  “I’m so sorry, Rafe.  I told Lucifer not to call you.”

He chuckled.  “It’s okay, I don’t mind.  I’m your personal physician, you know.  You’re supposed to call me.”

She heaved a big sigh.  “But I’m sure it’s just the stomach flu or food poisoning or something minor like that.  I told him not to bother you, but you know how he is --”

Lucifer rolled his eyes at her words.  Goodness, she made him sound like a paranoid nursemaid!  

“Yes, very hardheaded,” Raphael said with a laugh.

_ Hardheaded?! _  Scowling at his brother, Lucifer promised him retribution.  The angel caught his eye and smirked.  _  Cheeky bastard. _  Trying to keep his voice as soothing as possible, the Devil said, “Right.  Well, Rafe’s here now, darling, so just have him take a look at you.”

That earned him a glare from his wife.

“How do you feel?  I heard you threw up earlier.”  Raphael reached over to take Chloe’s hand, but she avoided his grasp, opting to wave it in the air instead.

“It’s nothing, really --”

“Bloody hell!”  Lucifer marched over to the bed, grabbed his wife’s hand and thrust it at Raphael.  “There!  Now tell me what’s wrong with her.”

As the healer chuckled, Chloe rolled her eyes, then sent the Devil a look fiery enough to punch a hole in him.  Ahhhh, her lovely fire!  It filled him with excitement and delight.  He was sure she’d get him back for that after she was well, and he couldn’t wait.  Rocking on his heels triumphantly, he waited a full three seconds before turning to his brother.  “Well?”

Raphael glowered at him.  “Heavenly Father, how do you expect me to find anything out when I just touched her hand?!  If you’ll just give me a minute....”

Lucifer paced anxiously along the foot of the bed as his brother closed his eyes and concentrated.  A glow surrounded Raphael’s and Chloe’s linked hands, softening the shadows in the room with its blue tint.  Trying to be patient, the fallen angel came to a halt, tapped his foot, then fiddled with his cufflinks.  Just as he was about to start pacing once again, he saw his brother frown and his brows furrow.  That expression sent the Devil’s stomach churning like the roiling sea in a storm.  Unable to wait any longer, he snapped, “Well?”

The healer’s eyes flew open.  “Lucifer --”

“I need to know!”  His eyes darted from his brother to his wife as a tight band suddenly constricted around his heart, sending sharp pains in his chest with every heartbeat.  “Tell me she’s going to be all right.”

Covering her eyes with her free hand, Chloe groaned.  “Oh for crying out loud....”

Sighing, Raphael patted her hand and gave her a kind smile.  “Excuse me for a few minutes.”

Before she could respond, Lucifer grabbed his brother by the arm and dragged him into the living room.  Only when they were a good distance away from the master bedroom did he stop and address his brother.  “Well?”

The healer shook off his grip.  “Dammit, Luci, can’t you leave me alone so that I can work in peace?  Go pick up Trixie or something!”

The Devil waved dismissively.  “I’ve already arranged for Amenadiel to pick Beatrice up at six o’clock.”  Shifting from foot to foot, he jammed his hands in his pockets and struggled to hide his impatience and concern.  “I saw you frown --”

“I frown often.”

“Not like that.”  He took a deep breath.  “Tell me what is wrong with my wife.”

The angel bit his lower lip.  “Well, from what little I could determine before you dragged me away, I’d say it’s looking like poison.”

Shock rippled through Lucifer, grabbing him by the throat and strangling the air right out of his body.  “Poison?!  How...?  Poi....?”  

His mind reeled as he struggled to take in the information.  Someone must have poisoned Chloe at the precinct -- there was no other explanation.  She certainly hadn’t gotten poisoned at home!  But who bore a grudge against her?  She had been away from work for quite a while because of her pregnancy.  Frowning, he reviewed what he knew.  Could there still be coworkers who resented her for the Malcolm Graham fiasco?  No, that was ages ago, and everyone knew what a bad cop he had turned out to be.  Were they angry about the douche getting thrown in jail?  No... why would they be?  Daniel had been arrested for child abduction.  Who could blame Chloe for that?  Besides, she had gone to work afterwards, and nothing untoward had happened.  Surely they would have struck earlier, had it been that...?

A dull roaring blocked out all external sound, thudding in time to his quickened heartbeat.  His head pounded as heat poured into his face, and he ground his teeth together.  Clenching and unclenching his trembling hands, he swore that whoever had dared to poison his wife would pay dearly.  He’d interrogate every single person in the precinct -- threaten them until they gave up their secrets.  And if none of them confessed, so be it -- he would kill them all without a shred of regret.  He’d first rip off their arms and legs like they were insects, then tear out their hearts one by one and make them all  _ suffer -- _

He didn’t realize he had spoken aloud until Raphael grasped his upper arms in a tight grip.  “Whoa, whoa, whoa, Luci.  Don’t go off half-cocked before we know the full facts.  This poison -- from what I could glean, it does not seem normal.”

That gave him pause.  His eyes narrowed as studied his brother.  “Not normal?  What do you mean?”

Raphael shook his head.  “Just... something about it doesn’t feel right.  It’s almost like it’s... camouflaging itself from me.  I can’t explain it well, but I need more time to determine what seems so wrong with what I’m sensing.  So before you go on a murderous rampage, take a deep breath and just... calm down.”

For a long moment Lucifer studied his brother as realization crept over him.  “You... you think that maybe one of our siblings may have something to do with this.”

Raphael grimaced.  “I don’t want to say anything until I have a chance to study Chloe and this poison further.”

“But you suspect...?”

The healer’s silence said it all.

Outrage swept through him like wildfire, burning everything in its path.  All Lucifer could think of was fire and destruction.  With eyes as red as fire and his teeth clenched so hard that his neck muscles corded, he turned on his heel and strode toward the balcony.  “They dare to poison my wife?!  Those bloody wankers!  If they think they can attack me through her, then they are sadly mistaken.  By all the fires of Hell, I will bring Heaven down around their ears!”

Rafe’s strong arms wrapped themselves around the Devil, halting his progress.  “Wait, Luci!  For Heaven’s sake, wait!  We don’t know for sure, yet!”

He didn’t care -- who else but his horrid siblings would dare to harm Chloe?  Well, this time they had gone too far.  He would show them the true wrath of the Devil!  Had they already forgotten how he had destroyed the northern edge of Heaven?  He could do far worse, when he put his mind to it.  Far, far worse.  They would regret targeting his wife.  He’d make them pay....

Batting Raphael’s restraining hands away, Lucifer nearly knocked him over in the process.  Blood coursed through his veins, setting his heart pumping furiously as his breath grew short.  The sounds of the outside world became muffled as he lost the ability to think or reason.  All that went through his fevered brain was  _ kill, kill, kill -- _

“Chloe needs you!”

Those words penetrated the tidal wave of hate that had been building like the unrelenting sea.  Cocking his head, the Devil paused to stare at his brother, his eyes alight with so much hatred that the healer took a step back.  “What?”

Raphael swallowed hard under his harsh gaze.  “It may be a regular poison, it may not be, but Chloe will want you by her side.  You can’t leave her like this.  And what about Trixie?  Emmie? Are you going to abandon them just to start a war with Heaven without even knowing who exactly poisoned your wife?  Think of the collateral damage Luci.  This isn’t you.  Calm down!”

As Lucifer considered his brother’s words, the rage slowly loosened its grip and the fire drained from his body.  Sanity slowly returned.  Taking a deep breath of cleansing air, he let it out slowly.  “Right.  When will you know more about this poison?”

The healer breathed a sigh of relief.  “Give me fifteen minutes with Chloe.  Let me take a hard look at what’s ailing her before you destroy our world as we know it.”

For a long moment Lucifer paused as he considered his brother’s request, then finally gave a sharp nod of his head.  “Very well.  Fifteen minutes, then tell me all that you discover.  I want the bastard who did this to her.”

_ And when I have him, I will  _ destroy _ him. _

“I’ll let you know what I find.”  With that, Raphael hurried back to the master bedroom.

Following close behind, Lucifer stopped at the doorway and watched as the healer took a seat beside Chloe.  Afraid that he would distract his brother from his work, the fallen angel waved with false cheer at his wife, then took himself to the living room.  For a few minutes he walked back and forth like a lion trapped in a cage, then quickly changed directions.  His footsteps sounded loud against the tile as he strode to the nursery to check on his son.  Seeing that all was well, he returned to the living room to resume his pacing by the piano.  Fear skittered up and down his spine, but he tried his best to ignore it.  Rafe was the best healer in Heaven.  Surely he’d be able to find out what kind of poison Chloe had been given, and then heal her....

Changing directions, Lucifer strode to the bar.  What he needed was a nice, stiff drink to calm his nerves -- or rather, several drinks.  He grabbed a decanter of Scotch and considered drinking straight from it, then decided to use a glass.  At least Emrys was still asleep in the nursery.  The little spawn could sleep through a bomb blast, and for once, Lucifer was grateful.  If his son was awake, he’d surely be frightened and upset by all the anger and anxiety in the air.

As he started to pour the Scotch, the ding of the elevator caught his attention.  The doors opened, revealing Penelope.

 

 


	6. Finding Out the Truth

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A super huge thank you to my excellent beta, ScooterThyme! You rock!!

 

 

Lucifer paused in pouring himself a drink as he watched Penelope waltz through the doors.  Oh,  _ splendid. _  What perfect timing his mother-in-law had.  Of course she would come  _ now, _ when his wife was sick from poison....  She would blame him for her daughter’s illness, and their tentative peace would go flying out the window.

“Chloe, pumpkin, I’ve come to get you and Trixie --”  Penelope broke off as she spotted Lucifer.  Her face grew pale as she stared at him.  “What... what are you doing here?”

Lucifer’s eyebrows went up.  “I live here.”

“But you... you shouldn’t be here.  You should be --”  She suddenly fell silent as she wrung her hands and backed away.

He frowned at her apparent fear.  Hadn’t they progressed past this stage?  Giving her a reassuring smile, he tried to be his most cordial.  “Two visits in one day.  I’m honored.”

She shook her head, her eyes darting left and right like a wild animal caught in a trap.

The Devil sighed and downed his drink.  Who was he kidding?  Penelope would never lose her fear of him.  His shoulders slumped as he rubbed his forehead.  “Right.  If you’re here to see Chloe, I’m afraid she’s taken ill.  You’ll have to come back another time.”

If anything, Penelope’s face lost even more color.  “Ill?  What are you talking about?”

“She’s ill and can’t be disturbed, so I’d appreciate if you left and came back another -- hey!”

Penelope shoved her way past him and stormed into the master bedroom to stare at Chloe lying swathed in blankets, her eyes closed and her face pale, with Raphael sitting next to her.  The older woman’s breath caught in her throat as she backed up right into Lucifer.  Whirling at the contact, she let out a startled yelp, then pushed her way past him into the living room.  The Devil followed, puzzled at her strange behavior.

“This is your fault!” she hissed as she poked him accusingly in the chest.

Lucifer’s eyebrows drew down.  “I beg your pardon?”

“This is your fault and I will never forgive you for this!”  Vitriol spewed from Penelope’s voice.  “You... you murderer!”

“What the me are you talking about?” Completely flummoxed by the accusation, Lucifer squinted at her.  What bee had gotten into her bonnet now?

“You poisoned my daughter!”

Shock swept through him, and for an instant he froze as his heart kicked into overdrive.  What did Penelope know about Chloe’s condition?  It was too much of a coincidence to think she would randomly pull that accusation out of the air.  His hands shot out and caught her arms in a tight grip as his eyes caught fire, burning like hot coals.  His voice dropped to a threatening tone as he pulled her close.  “Explain what you mean by that.”

He saw the fear reflected in her eyes, on her face, but he didn’t care.  Chloe’s life was at stake, and he would do everything in his power to make her well again -- including confronting her mother.  When Penelope didn’t answer, he gave her a hard shake.  “Tell me.”

A steely glint entered her eyes, and she went on the attack, taking the fight to him.  “It should be you in that bed, not her.  You should be the one who’s sick -- not my daughter!”

Anger burned within him, sending waves of heat throughout his body.  Gritting his teeth, he ground out, “Tell me what you did.”

“You horrid creature.”  She looked him up and down with disgust.  “Why am I not surprised that you would destroy Chloe?  You’ve been nothing but trouble from the start --”

_ “Tell me _ what you did.”

“I knew you were trouble ever since I laid eyes on you --”

_ “Tell me!” _

His roar finally stopped her diatribe.  She swallowed hard and looked away.  “Why did you give the whiskey I poured for you to my daughter?  Are you tired of being tied to her, is that it?!”

Stunned, Lucifer’s mouth fell open as his hands fell away from her arms and the fire left his eyes.  He knew Penelope hated him, but... she had tried to poison him?  “I... I didn’t give it to her.  She took it out of my hands and drank it....  She said she had had a hard day.”

The older woman snorted.  “So you say.  If you had just drunk it, she wouldn’t be sick, now would she?  This is  _ your _ fault.”

“My fault?”  Rage at the unjust accusation reared its ugly head, and Lucifer’s chest tightened as he clenched his hands at his sides to keep from strangling Penelope.   _ “My _ fault?!  Seriously -- are you blaming me for this?   _ You _ were the one who poisoned the drink!  How can you find me at fault for something  _ you _ did?”

_ “I _ didn’t give her poison,  _ you _ did!  And I would have never tried to get rid of you if you had just stayed out of her life -- so this is  _ all your fault. _  She would have been so much better off if she had never met you.”

Hatred scorched his insides, so strong that his entire insides vibrated.  He had always liked Penelope despite her intense dislike of him, but now... now he couldn’t even look at her.  If he did, he was liable to throw her off the balcony.  Biting the inside of his cheek until it bled, Lucifer stalked over to the bar.  The Scotch decanter rattled against the lip of the glass as he poured himself a drink.

Keeping his back to the woman, he quickly downed the shot, poured himself another, and drank that one, too.  A deep breath helped control some of the rage inside of him, allowing him to finally turn and look at his mother-in-law.  She stood there glaring at him with eyes full of malice.

He shook his head as a harsh laugh escaped him.  “You have some gall.”  Bitterness burned his insides like acid.  “All that talk of burying the hatchet... all lies.”

Penelope lifted her chin.  “You’re the Prince of Lies -- you should be used to them.”

Pain at being so gullible, so trusting, speared his heart.  His face grew hard as his mouth tightened into a straight line.  “Right.  Who gave you the poison?”

Tossing her head, the older woman sniffed and said nothing.

Frustration gnawed at Lucifer’s insides -- he was quickly running out of all patience.  “Penelope, if you don’t tell me where you got the poison and what kind it was, I will punish you -- and believe me, you don’t want to know what forms of torture are going through my mind at this very instant.”  Leaning forward, he let his eyes flare red once again.  “Remember who you’re talking to.”

She blanched at his words.  “I don’t know what kind it was.  A... a stranger approached me in a bar and gave it to me.  He said it would take care of my Devil problem.”

His eyes narrowed.  “And you took it...?”  Feeling his temper rising once again, he took a few deep breaths as incredulity coursed through his veins.  “You just... you just took some random poison from a complete stranger and tried to give it to me?”  

She shifted from foot to foot and looked away.  “He said you weren’t human, and you’re not -- you’re the Devil.  He said I’d be doing the world a favor by getting rid of you.”

A mocking laugh burst from his lips.  “Right.  We all know how the world can do without me.”  Frowning, he cocked his head and studied her like a bug under a microscope.  “Had you met him before?  Did he give you a name?  What did he look like?”

“Black hair, brown eyes -- kind of looked like you, actually.”  She shrugged.  “I’d never met him before, but he said he was the answer to my prayers.  And he would have been, if you had just drunk the Scotch I poured for you!”

He couldn’t believe his ears.  “You talk of murdering me as if there’s nothing wrong with it.”

“And there isn’t.  You’re the Devil, for God’s sake!   _ The Devil.” _  Storming over to him, she shoved his chest hard.  “Look, I’m a mother who’s protecting her only daughter!  You didn’t possibly think I would ever be okay with this unholy union, did you?  You have never been nor will you ever be good enough for my Chloe.  You’ve brought her nothing but unhappiness and misery from the moment she met you, and don’t you deny it!”

Lucifer opened his mouth to give a scathing reply, but found that he couldn’t.  Penelope was merely giving voice to the vicious words his conscience whispered to him whenever Chloe fell ill or was injured.  His biggest insecurity -- that he wasn’t good enough for Chloe -- was suddenly on display, given voice by none other than his mother-in-law, and he couldn’t contradict her.  All she had said was true -- he’d been nothing but trouble from the start.  And this latest calamity was his fault, too.  Chloe’s life would never have been at risk if he hadn’t been in her life.  Unable to look at Penelope as her eyes raked him up and down, he turned back to the bar and poured himself another glass of Scotch.  

Her harsh, grating hiss filled the air with quiet venom.  “This is  _ your _ fault.  All you!  If you had just left my daughter alone, none of this would ever have happened.  Chloe’s dying because of you!”

Shards of crystal bit deeply into his hand as the thick glass exploded in his clenched fist.  Lucifer watched dispassionately as the amber liquid spilled onto the table, mixing with his red blood.  As he pushed away from the bar with slow, measured movements, hysterical laughter bubbled forth from him.  It grew louder and louder, crescendoing into a wall of discordant sound.  

“Right!  Of course -- blame all your sins on the Devil!” he snarled once he caught his breath.  Whirling on Penelope, he bared his teeth as his eyes glowed like burning embers -- hot, fiery, and full of wrath.  “My  _ wife _ is dying, because of  _ you!” _  Leaning close, he spat, “And I will never,  _ ever _ forgive you for this.  You better start praying she doesn’t die, because if she does, I will hunt you down and make you wish you were never even born.  Now get out.”

“You can’t keep me from my daughter, especially now --”

He suddenly let out another laugh tinged with madness.  Smiling wolfishly like the Devil he was, he strode toward the woman with deadly intent.  At last Penelope seemed to understand the grave danger she was in, for she grew pale and backed away unsteadily.

He cocked his head at her, his eyes bright with hatred.  “Do you really think I’m going to let you anywhere near Chloe, now that I know you’ve poisoned her?”

“It was meant for you --”

“But she took it, nonetheless -- something which would have never happened if you hadn’t brought that vile poison here!”  His voice dropped to a guttural growl.  Penelope took refuge behind the armchair, but Lucifer batted it away easily as he stalked her.  “Know this: if you were anyone else, I’d rip out your lungs and hand them back to you.  The only reason why you still breathe is because you’re Chloe’s mother.  But If I ever catch you anywhere near my family again, you will live to regret it.  I’ll make your life a living hell -- and believe me, I know what Hell is like --”

“Lucifer.”

Chloe’s weak voice from across the room halted the Devil in his tracks.  Whirling, he saw Chloe clutching the doorway to the master bedroom, with Rafe standing next to her.  She looked frail in her nightgown as she swayed on her feet.  All anger forgotten, he rushed to her and caught her in his arms before she fell.

“Darling, you shouldn’t be out of bed --”

“You and Mom were arguing.”

“Yes, well....”  He shot an angry look at Penelope, who rushed to her daughter.  

“Honey, we have to get you out of here  and to a hospital --”

Chloe let out a little laugh as she smiled at her mother.  “Believe me, Mom, I’m in far better hands here.”

“With the Devil?!”

“Yes, with the Devil,” Lucifer ground out as he detached himself from his wife.  Taking a hold of Penelope’s arm, he pulled her toward the elevator.  “Chloe isn’t in any condition to take up this debate with you.”

“But --”

_ “Out.” _

He stuffed her into the car, then reached in to push the ground floor button, but held the doors open to snarl at her.  “Remember what I said.  Don’t  _ ever _ come back here again.”

“You can’t keep me away --”

“Goodbye, Penelope.”   He released the doors and watched them close on his mother-in-law.   _ Good riddance. _  Straightening his suit jacket, he turned on his heel and strode back to Chloe, still at the master bedroom doorway.

“Chloe, please -- you need to lie down,” Raphael said, tugging on her arm, but she waved him away as she faced Lucifer.  Her face went white at the sight of his hand.

“Oh god, what did you do to yourself?” 

Puzzled, the fallen angel followed her gaze down to the blood dripping onto the tile.  He had completely forgotten about the injury.  Giving his wife a rueful smile, he pulled out a handkerchief from his pocket and quickly wound it around his cut.  “Oh, this... it’s just a little scrape.  And please, no talk of Dad.  I’ve had it up to bloody here with parents for one day.”

She reached for his hand.  “Let me fix it --”

“In your condition?  Certainly not!”  He yanked his hand back and clutched it to his chest like a treasured artifact.

“I’ll look at it later, Chloe,” Raphael said as he looked at Lucifer and nodded his head at the master bedroom meaningfully.

The woman studied both of them and frowned.  “What’s going on?”  Her aqua gaze was filled with worry as she gazed up at her husband.  “What were you and my mother arguing about?”

Ignoring her question, the fallen angel swept her into his arms and carried her back to bed.  “Nothing you need to concern yourself about.”  After giving her a reassuring smile, he set her gently on the sheets and tucked her in.  Nearly wilting under her piercing stare, he avoided her eyes.  “Just concentrate on getting better, love.”

“Lucifer....”  He heard the warning in her voice.

His heart suddenly pounding in his chest, the Devil glanced around for his brother to help him distract her, but that coward hung back at the doorway, looking uncomfortable.  Apparently he had heard her tone of voice, as well.

“I’m going to go check on Emrys,” Raphael said.  “I’ll be back.”

Lucifer watched him go, cursing the angel in every modern language he could think of -- and a few ancient ones, as well -- before turning back to his wife and pasting a smile on his face.  “Ah... right.  Look, perhaps we can discuss this later --”

“We’ll discuss it now.”

Bloody hell, she had that stubborn look on her face.  “Very well.”

 

 


	7. Soothing the Devil

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A super huge thank you to my wonderful beta ScooterThyme! You are awesome! :D

 

 

Chloe settled herself under the covers and stared up at her husband.  She had awoken earlier to the sounds of raised voices, but she hadn’t been able to make out most of the conversation.  The words undulated in volume, and although she strained to pick out the words, they were too far away too understand.  The tone, though, had been clear.  Lucifer sounded furiously angry, as did... her mother?

Crap.  Penelope was making trouble again -- this time in person.

Despite Raphael’s insistence she stay in bed, she had thrown back the covers and padded unsteadily to the doorway to see Lucifer upend his armchair as he stalked her mother.  That was when she knew she had to put a stop to the altercation.  Penelope was a handful, but she was no match for an angry Devil.

So she had called out to him, saw him usher her mother out with more hushed, indistinct words, then watched him come back to her....  And now she was here in bed, confronting him about that strange conversation.  It was the last thing she should have been doing, considering how weak she felt, but the brief flash of anger -- no, hatred -- she had seen on his face before he rushed to her side had scared her.

As she stared up at him, Chloe was surprised to see how uncomfortable he looked.  Biting his lower lip like a young boy who had been caught doing something wrong, the fallen angel shifted from one foot to another before jamming his hands in his pockets.  Just watching him fidget filled her with anxiety.

“Lucifer, sit down.  You’re going to drive me crazy hovering over me like that.”  She patted the bed beside her.  “Come on, have a seat.”

For a moment he hesitated before he took a deep breath and cleared his throat.  Taking his hands out of his pockets, he sat down, his movements jerky and lacking his usual grace.  The uncomfortable expression faded as his eyes filled with warmth when he looked at her.  Taking her hand in his uninjured one, he squeezed it gently.  “You need to get better.”

When he looked at her with such love, it was hard for her to stay stern with him... but she tried.  “Don’t change the subject.  Tell me what you and my mother were arguing about.”

Watching him closely with all of her detective instincts in full throttle, she noted the tightening of his mouth, his eyes shifting away from hers, and his hunched shoulders.  He looked like a suspect ready to bolt out of the room.  Frowning, she squeezed his hand back as she gentled her voice.  “Come on, husband, tell me.”

Turning, he studied her a long moment, then took a deep breath.  “Right.  Your mother was telling me just how much she hates me.”

Chloe frowned.  That was nothing new -- Penelope told him how much she hated him every time she saw him.  There must have been something more than just that.  “That’s what the argument was about?”

He shifted on the bed.  “The gist of it, yes.”

“And the rest of it?”

He shook his head.  “Doesn’t bear repeating.”

Damn her mother, she must have said a lot of awful things to Lucifer.  Chloe’s face tightened as she gazed up at him.  “I’m so sorry that she can’t accept you.  It’s not right.”

“Yes, well... I _am_ the Devil.”  He chuckled, although it sounded bitter.  “I’m afraid your mother and I got into quite a row.”  His eyes glowed red as hatred shadowed his face.  “She is no longer welcome anywhere near you or the children.”

Chloe’s mouth dropped open at his rage.  Lucifer had never been anything but gracious with her mother -- to hear him ban her from the penthouse was shocking.  “That must have been some row.”

His voice lowered to a growl.  “It was.”

Anger radiated off of him in waves, so strong that the air seemed thick with it.  Anxious to diffuse his fury, she pulled his hand to her lips and kissed it tenderly before giving it back to him.  “I’m sorry, Lucifer.”

The red faded from his eyes, returning once again to a warm, dark brown.  “It’s not your fault, dearheart.  Never your fault.”  Once again, love shone on his face like a beacon, warming her spirits and teasing a smile from her lips.

When the fallen angel suddenly stood up, Chloe jumped.  Was he going to leave?  For a second it seemed like he would, but then he opened the covers and slipped into bed next to her, despite being fully clothed.  As he pulled her into his arms, she snuggled close and laid her cheek on his chest.  The steady thump of his heart set her insides aglow and gave her a sense of peace.  She was never happier than when she was in his arms.

To stay like this forever would have been wonderful, but the hatred he had displayed toward her mother bothered her like a itch she couldn’t scratch.  Sighing, she glanced up at him.   “Lucifer, I don’t like seeing you like this.”

He furrowed his brows.  “Like what?”

“Like this.”  She patted his chest.  “There’s so much rage you have bottled up in here.  I haven’t seen you this angry in a long time --”

“Well, I have good reason,” he ground out as his face grew hard and unyielding.  “I will no longer tolerate that woman’s presence.”

Her eyebrows rose at the sight of his eyes burning red once again.  “What the hell did she do to make you so angry?”  He turned sharply away as he squeezed his eyes shut.  His arms tightened around her, but he said nothing.  Chloe frowned at his reaction as she studied him with worry.  “Look, whatever she did, you have to let it go.”

“No.”

“Yes.”

Like a child, he shook his head firmly.  “No, I won’t.”

“Lucifer --”

“You don’t know what she --”  His eyes burned even brighter red as he fell silent.  She could feel his body trembling beneath her as he struggled for control.  Biting his lower lip, he reached up and caressed her cheek.  “I’m sorry, my darling.  I know she’s your mother, but I can’t.”

Seeing that he meant it, Chloe felt sadness flood her insides -- not for her mother, but for him.  “Lucifer, you can’t hang on to this kind of hatred.  It’s not good for you.  It will eat you up on the inside and leave nothing but a burnt out husk.”  

He snorted as he looked away.  “You want me to let it go because she’s your mother.”

“That’s not it at all.”  Reaching up, she tipped his chin until he was forced to look at her.  “My mother is not the reason why I’m telling you to let it go -- you are.   _You,_ husband.  I’m telling you because I love you.”  Pulling away from him, she propped her elbow on the bed and rested her head on her hand.  Even though her heart was beginning to pound and her insides felt trembly, she hid her illness and nausea as best as she could.  This was too important to let go.  

“Look, Lucifer, it’s been a long time since I’ve seen you this consumed with anger, and it hurts me.  You’re such a beautiful, wonderful, caring man -- I don’t want to see you get lost in your hatred.  Don’t let your anger toward my mother destroy who you are.  Whatever she’s done is not worth it.”  When he said nothing, she snuggled close.  “Anger is corrosive -- it will eat you alive, and I refuse to see that happen.  I love you, Lucifer Morningstar.  You’re my angel who lit the stars -- my warm, kind-hearted Devil.  You’re the reason why I came here, remember?  I fell in love with a good man.  Don’t let that good man be buried under so much rage that he ceases to exist.”

His mouth tightened.  “I wouldn’t lose myself.”

“With that kind of anger, you would, believe me.  I don’t want to see that happen to you.”

“But it wouldn’t --”

She sighed.  “Look, I know my mom isn’t an easy person to get along with.  She’s flighty, impulsive, and at times a royal pain.  But deep down, she’s a good person.”

Lucifer said nothing, just turned his eyes to the ceiling, but Chloe could see the tic in his clenched jaw.  

“She’s suffered a lot.  Dad’s death, my getting into a car accident, finding out you’re the Devil....  I’m not excusing whatever she said or did to make you so upset, but try to find some compassion in your heart for her.  It’s the only way you’re going to be able to let this go.”

“Compassion is your department, darling, not mine,” he ground out.

“But it can be yours as well, Lucifer -- compassion isn’t a mutually exclusive thing.  And deep down you’re a good man -- you always have been.   I know you can do this.”  She reached out and stroked his cheek.  “Let it go and try to forgive her.  Please?”

He closed his eyes then reached for her, pulling her onto his chest and wrapping his arms around her, as if afraid to let her go.  When he finally spoke, his voice had gentled.  “Do you know how much I love you, Chloe Jane Decker Morningstar?”

She smiled.  Whenever he said her full name, it always brought heat to her cheeks.  “As much as I love you...?”

“More.”  He pressed a kiss to the top of her head.  “So much more.  You have no idea....”

Just then Raphael walked in.  “I’m sorry to interrupt, but....”

“Right.”  Lucifer suddenly pulled away, leaving Chloe feeling bereft.  She supposed it was for the best since she really wasn’t feeling well at all, but she already missed his warmth.  He stood up and leaned over her, kissing her on the forehead.  “You need your rest.”

“I’ll tend that hand now,” the healer said to his brother before turning to her.  “I’ll be right back, Chloe.”

Giving him a weak smile, she waved at them both.  “Sure.  I’ll be here.”

 

 

________________________________________

  


 

“Must we do this now?” Lucifer snapped as he followed the healer into the living room.  The altercation with Penelope had upset him far more than he had let on with Chloe, and even though she wanted him to let it go, he couldn’t.  Wouldn’t.  He’d hate that wretched woman until the end of eternity.

Raphael’s mouth tightened as he grabbed a hold of his brother’s hand.  “Yes, we must, you ass.  Don’t bite my head off.”

The Devil hissed as a blue light surrounded his injury.  “Bloody hell, can’t you be more gentle?”

The angel snorted.  “Shut up.”

When Raphael was done, Lucifer flexed his hand -- good as new.  Not as fast or as painless as Chloe would have been, but he wasn’t complaining.  “So... how is she?”

“It’s like I feared -- it’s a celestial poison.”

Even though the fallen angel had figured as much from his conversation with Penelope, just hearing the words made his stomach drop to his knees.  Striding to the bar, he grabbed a bar towel and wiped away the blood, alcohol and splinters of glass from the counter, then poured himself a drink.  After downing the full glass of Scotch, he turned to his brother.  “I know.”

Raphael’s eyes widened.  “You... you know?”

“Mm.”  As he refilled his glass, he struggled to keep his voice as calm as possible, even though he longed to trash the entire penthouse.  “Penelope tried to poison me, but accidentally poisoned Chloe instead.”

The healer gaped.  “Penelope?!”

Lucifer’s lips twisted into a mocking smile.  “Why the surprise, brother?  Apparently her fear of the Devil surpasses the love she has for her own child.”  His eyes grew hard and his mouth taut.  “I will _never_ forgive her for this.”

Picking up his glass, he swiftly downed the contents, then slammed it down onto the counter.  “She put poison in my Scotch, then offered it to me as a sign of truce.  Truce!”  A harsh laugh escaped him.  Squeezing his eyes shut, he ran a hand down his face as overwhelming guilt washed over him.  “Had I known, I would have never let Chloe take my drink.  This is my fault.  I should be lying there instead of her.  I should have never let her --”

“Don’t be ridiculous, Lucifer.  You couldn’t have known,” Raphael said as he clasped his fallen brother’s shoulder.  “Where did Penelope get the poison?”

“Apparently one of our brothers gave it to her so that she would poison me, for he knew I was the Devil.  Black hair, dark eyes.  Reminded her of me, she said.”  His voice grew bitter.  “Called himself the answer to her prayers.”

“Did she tell you anything more? What the poison looked like?  The color, the smell... anything?”

“No.”  He poured himself another drink.  “That’s all she would tell me.”  Hope shone in his eyes as he turned to his brother.  “But Chloe’s getting better, is she not?  You’re healing her, after all....”

Raphael leaned on the bar counter beside him.  “That’s where we’ve got a problem -- a big one.”

Lucifer’s brows furrowed.  “What do you mean?”

“She’s dying.”

 

 


	8. Final Diagnosis

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A big thank you to my awesome beta, ScooterThyme!

 

 

_“Dying?!”_

The fallen angel froze, the old-fashioned glass halfway to his lips.  Surely Rafe hadn’t just said...?  Slowly setting his drink down onto the counter, he turned to his brother, letting his eyes burn like hot embers.  “You best explain yourself, brother.  If this is a joke, it’s a bad one.”

The healer shook his head.  “No joke.  The poison is like nothing I’ve ever encountered.  It’s odd and like I said before, it’s almost like it’s trying to hide itself from me.  I can’t get a handle on it.  It’s systematically destroying her organs, and I can’t stop it.”

The world spun around Lucifer as dizziness assailed him.  For a moment his vision dimmed as if he had closed his eyes, only they were open.  Everything was suddenly wrong, tilted, sliding sideways --

“Lucifer!”  Raphael’s hands shot out and grabbed him, steadied him.  “Are you okay?”

The fallen angel blinked at his brother as if he had never seen him before in his life.  What had just happened?  Something... something bad.  Rafe had been telling him something... but he didn’t remember.  Didn’t _want_ to remember.

Then the healer’s words returned, echoed in his head, and he shoved his brother away from him.  Backing up a step, he took deep breaths as he tried to control his racing heart.  

“You’re wrong.”

“I wish I was.  Look --”

“I said you’re wrong!”  He shoved his brother hard, sending him flying across the room.

Raphael crashed into the wall, then pulled himself to his feet.  “Damn it, Luci --”

_“You’re wrong!”_  Lucifer snarled as he strode up to the healer and punched his jaw.  The angel reeled back from the blow, but stayed on his feet and glared at his fallen brother.

Anger burned within the Devil, scorching his insides as pressure built in his head, dulling all rational thought.  All he wanted to do was tear everyone and everything apart.  Grabbing the healer‘s robes, the fallen angel yanked Raphael toward him until they were nose to nose.  With red eyes burning, he snarled in his face.  “You just don’t want to heal her.  Well, so help me, you _will_ heal her or I will tear you apart, limb from limb!”

Pity filled Raphael’s gaze.  “You know I can’t.  I’m speaking the truth -- I can’t help her.”

Lucifer stared hard at his brother as he considered ripping his arms and legs off like an insect... then sanity returned.  With eyes slowly dulling from bright red to dark brown, he unclenched his fists from the healer’s robes.  This had to be a nightmare.  He was dreaming -- surely that was it?  Staggering away from the healer, the fallen angel cradled his head in his hands.  None of this was real -- it couldn’t be.  How could his life go from Heaven to Hell in a matter of hours?

Then again, he should have known this was coming.  He had been too happy.

Raphael laid his hand on Lucifer’s shoulder, but the Devil knocked it away.  The angel sighed.  “I know you’re mad, but calm down, okay?  Going off the deep end is not going to help matters any --”

“Well, what do you expect me to do when you tell me my wife is dying?!” Lucifer snarled.  Turning on his heel, he paced, his movements stiff and jerky.  “Right.”  Holding his hands out in front of him, he clenched and unclenched his fists.  “Let me think.  She’s a goddess.  She can be reincarnated --”

“We don’t know that for sure.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”  At the healer’s silence, Lucifer flung up his hands.  “Bloody hell, Rafe, what worse news are you going to throw at me?!”

He winced.  “It’s a celestial poison, and although Chloe’s a goddess, she’s also in a human body.  I don’t know how it’s going to affect her.  One possibility is that it will kill her... permanently.”

_No...._

The world spun around the fallen angel once again.  Surely this couldn’t be real...?  Stumbling to the couch, he fell onto it and cradled his head in his hands as his insides grew cold.  “You must be wrong.”  Was that his voice, so hoarse and shaky?  Swallowing hard, he gasped for air as he fought off the trembling of his body, then glanced sharply at his brother.  “Tell me you’re wrong.”

“I hope I am, Luci.  I really hope I am, but we can’t be sure.  Without knowing exactly what kind of poison it is, we can’t know its effects on her, or even how to get an antidote.”

Squeezing his eyes shut, Lucifer scrubbed his face with his hands and fought off the anguish coursing through him.  There had to be some mistake... had to be....  “There must be something we can do.”  Lifting his eyes to his brother, he clenched his hands into fists as he fought the nausea engulfing him.  “Please....”

“Look, I can extend her life,” Raphael said as he went to stand by his side.  “I can keep mending her organs until I run out of energy.  It’s not the best solution, but it will buy you some time.  Go see Healing -- he’s probably better equipped to handle poisons than I am.”

A shaft of hope penetrated Lucifer’s despair.  “Yes.  Yes, you’re right.  Healing could help.  Surely he could cure her...?”

“I hope so.”

“Right.”   Standing up, his eyes glinting with conviction, Lucifer stripped off his shirt and unfurled his great wings.  As he looked at his brother, shame filled him.  “Rafe, about earlier --”

The healer rubbed his jaw as one corner of his mouth quirked up.  “You’re an ass, Luci.”

An answering smile touched Lucifer’s face.  “Yes, well, I _am_ the Devil, you know.”  Then he grew serious.  “Rafe... how much time?”

His brother grew sober.  “One or two days at the most, before I can’t keep up with the damage.”

Lucifer’s heart dropped to his knees as a deep winter frost settled into his bones.  Dizziness struck him as he felt the blood rush from his face.  “Bloody hell, so little?”

“It’s an aggressive poison.”

“Right, then I best be on my way.  Let me just say goodbye to Chloe....”

Leaving his brother in the living room, Lucifer strode to the master bedroom where Chloe lay.  As she turned toward him, a weak smile lit her face.

“You always look so handsome with your wings out.”

A small spark of warmth lit his frozen insides, and his face softened as he gave her a tender smile.  Doing his best to hide his anxiety, he ambled over to the bed.  “I thought perhaps a view of your husband’s angelic beauty would help lift your spirits.”  He spun in a circle as he flexed his wings.  

Her chuckle filled him with joy -- and bittersweet heartache.  How much longer would he be able to hear her beautiful laughter?  No, no, no -- he couldn’t think such things.   _Wouldn’t_ think such things.  He frantically pushed back his despair and fear.  It was too early to start panicking -- he refused to let her die.  Healing could fix her, surely he could.

Chloe’s eyes danced as she studied his feathered appendages.  “They would lift anyone’s spirits.  You should bring them out more often.”

“You just enjoy seeing me shirtless.”

A trace of coyness touched her face.  “Well, there is that....”

Sitting on the bed next to her, he took her hand in his, then leaned forward and kissed her gently on the lips.  “Right.  Listen, dearheart, I know you’re not feeling well, but Rafe is here, all right?  I have to make a short trip -- celestial business, you know.”

Her eyes grew anxious as she squeezed his hand.  “Now?  You said you wouldn’t leave, not even to pick up Trixie.”

“I know, and I’m sorry.  It’s something of an emergency.”

Concern marred her brow.  “Is everything okay?”

He fixed a smile on his face.  “Don’t worry -- I’ll be back soon, but while I’m gone I want you to rest easy.  Rafe will sit with you, all right?”

Her eyes narrowed and she tightened the grip on his hand.  “This has something to do with me, doesn’t it?  Rafe’s here, you had an argument with my mother, and it sounded like you had words with your brother, too.  Now you suddenly have to leave --”

Unable to lie to her, he just looked on helplessly as she read the truth on his face.

Her eyes widened, and he could see the fear in them.  “This... this illness.... It’s not the flu, is it?”

Closing his eyes, he wished this was all a dream, that he didn’t have to tell his wife that she had been poisoned... but her hand in his reminded him that it wasn’t.  Opening his eyes, he took a deep breath and let it out slowly.  “No.”

Her gaze grew intense.  “What is it?”

Lucifer bit his lower lip.  “Chloe --”

She gave his hand a little shake as her voice became firm and insistent.  “Tell me.”

He couldn’t, didn’t want to.  His eyes flew to the walls, the ceiling, anywhere but her face.  Maybe Raphael could tell her....

“Lucifer!”

Her sharp voice brought his attention back to her.  His mouth tightened as he realized he couldn’t run away from this.  “You’ve been... poisoned.”

“P... poisoned?”  For a heartbeat she stared at him.  With distress, Lucifer saw her grow even more pale than she had been.  With her aqua eyes the only color in her face, she looked... shattered.

“Dearheart --”  What could he say to make this better?  Words failed him as his insides froze over.

“But I only had some coffee at the office -- all the other food I ate was from here.  Who would do something like this?  And how?”

Lucifer couldn’t answer her.  He just sat there like a stone statue as his insides shriveled up and his heart became a rock in his chest.

Chloe took a deep breath, then another.  “Okay... okay.  We can figure that out later.  Rafe... Rafe is here.  He can cure me, right?”  His face must have given him away, for a look of horror came over her and she said, “Oh god, he can’t, can he?”

What could he say to that?  He didn’t want to take away all her hope, but she deserved to know the truth.  “I’m going to see Healing.  I’m sure he has something in that magic cupboard of his.”

She nodded.  “Okay.  Okay, yes.  I’m sure Healing will have something.”  Her voice was calm, but there was panic in her eyes -- he could see it.  She gave a little laugh that sounded strained and forced.  “We’ll be laughing about this when you get back.”

Her courage in the face of death squeezed his heart, and he felt a burning at the back of his eyes. He tried to smile, but it came out as a grimace instead.   “I’m sure we will be.”  Reaching out, he pulled her into his arms and hugged her for all she was worth.  He felt her arms go around him and clutch him back just as fiercely.  “Wait for me, Chloe.  I’ll be back as soon as I can.”

“I can take you --” she whispered in his ear, which had him quickly pulling away.

“No -- you’re too weak.  What if expending all that energy kills you?   I can’t risk --”  He broke off as he fought the fear crowding his throat.  Reaching out, he caressed her cheek with a hand that trembled.  “Trust me, dearheart.  Rafe will take care of you while I’m gone.”

She gave him a brave smile.  “I trust you, husband.”

Lucifer’s stomach twisted into knots at the faith shining on her face.  He couldn’t fail in this -- he couldn’t.  He wouldn’t lose her.  Leaning over, he kissed her on the forehead.  “I’ll be back soon.”  Before he could change his mind, he stood and walked out to the living room.  As he did so, the tender expression fell from his face, to be replaced by one of grim determination.  He’d get Chloe well again -- he had to.  Life without her wasn’t even worth contemplating.

He caught Raphael’s arm as the healer started to head into the master bedroom, and pulled him aside.  “Don’t tell Chloe about Penelope’s involvement in this.”

His brother frowned.  “Don’t you think she has the right to know?”

“How do you think knowing her own mother poisoned her is going to help?” he hissed.  “It will hurt her terribly, and I won’t have that.  She’s suffering enough as it is.  Leave it alone, Rafe -- promise me.”

Raphael studied him for a moment, then nodded.  “Very well.  What should I tell Amenadiel and Trixie when they get here?”

Lucifer pursed his lips as he thought.  “Right.  Tell them nothing for now,” he said at last.  “Hopefully Healing will have an antidote and all this will be forgotten in a few hours.”

Striding out to the balcony, the fallen angel paused at the railing.  Casting a brief glance back toward the penthouse, he squeezed his eyes shut and took a deep breath.  Chloe was going to be all right -- he’d make sure of it.  Nodding to himself, he gazed at the blue sky above before leaping into the air and flying skyward.

 

 


	9. Seeking Aid

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A big shout-out to my excellent beta, ScooterThyme -- thank you!

 

 

Flying harder than he ever had, Lucifer arrived at the Old God’s village in record time.  It wasn’t as speedy as Chloe’s mode of travel, but there was no way he would let her transport them -- not with her energy already so low.  Although it took longer, flying was the only choice.  Hopefully he would be returning to Los Angeles with a remedy very soon.

Dusk was just falling as he landed in front of his brother-in-law’s house.  Relief swept through him at the sight of windows lit from the inside -- Healing was home.  After banging on the front door, Lucifer shifted from foot to foot while he waited for it to open.  Just as he was about to start beating on the wood, it slid open.

“Lucifer!”  Healing broke into a grin.  “What a surprise.  Come in!  Is Compassion with you?” Craning his neck, he looked for his sister.

The fallen angel shook his head.  “No, she couldn’t make it.  I need to talk to you -- it’s urgent.”

The smile fell from the healer’s face as he ushered his brother-in-law inside.  “Come in.”

Lucifer followed Healing into the dining room, where Sachiel was carrying food to the table.  Upon seeing her brother, she brightened and started setting a place for him, but he shook his head.

“I won’t be eating, Sachi -- sorry.”

The smile fell from her face, and she became the sober sister he so well remembered.  “What happened?  What’s wrong?”

The three of them sat down at the dining table, the food forgotten.  Taking a deep breath, Lucifer pushed away his panic and fear.  Clearing his throat, he tried to steady his shaking voice.  “Chloe has been poisoned.”

“Poisoned?!”  Healing’s eyebrows drew together.  “What kind of poison?”

“A celestial one, but I don’t know what kind.”  He cradled his head in his hand.  “Rafe said it’s aggressive.”  Looking up, he gazed at Healing with beseeching eyes.  “Please -- come back with me and heal her.  Rafe says he can’t do it.  Only you can --”

The Old God’s eyes were full of regret.  “You know I’d go in a heartbeat if I could, but if I go to Earth, I’ll be a human newborn.  You’ll have to wait years before I can help --”

But Lucifer was already shaking his head.  “That won’t do.  She only has a day... maybe two.”

His brows drawing down, Healing leaned forward.  “Can you bring her here?”

Lucifer shook his head again.  “She’d never survive the trip if we flew, and she’s in no shape to cross planes.”

While the healer swore under his breath, Sachiel’s face lost all color.  “Are you sure?” she asked.  “There must be something we can do....”

“Rafe said the poison is destroying her organs.  He’ll keep healing her until he runs out of energy, but once he does, he won’t be able to keep up with the damage.”  Lucifer glanced at the kitchen where all of Healing’s powders were kept.  “Surely you have something in that magic pantry of yours to heal her?”  He couldn’t keep the desperate edge out of his voice.

The old god grimaced.  “I’m not good at healing poisons -- especially something as complex as a poison for celestials.  We had a healer whose sole specialty was poison, but she was killed in the Expulsion.  She was irreplaceable -- all her knowledge was lost when she died.”

A string of curses erupted from Lucifer.  Of course Dad and his idiotic Expulsion would be the reason why Chloe couldn’t get the help she needed!  A guttural growl gathered in his throat as he clutched his hands together to keep from upending the dining table.  Pain and despair swept through him, leaving him freezing cold inside.   _ No, no, no.... _  He shut his eyes and took a deep breath.  When he opened them again, his eyes were dull and lifeless.  In an effort to keep from breaking down, he said in a flat tone, “So there’s no hope then.”

“There’s always hope.”  Pursing his lips, Healing tapped his chin for a moment before looking at his brother-in-law.  “It’s a long shot, but I think I know of someone who can help -- if she’s still alive.”

“Really?”  Hope flared in Lucifer’s chest as he sat up.  “Who?”

“Ta-Bitjet -- an Egyptian goddess.  I’ve never met her, but I heard that she had a panacea for all poisons in existence.  Our poison expert once talked to me about her.  She said her antidote worked wonders... but this was a very long time ago.  I don’t even know if Ta-Bitjet survived the Expulsion -- she may not have.”

“If she still lives, I’ll meet with her.  I’ll do anything to get my wife better.”  Lucifer stood up.  “Where do I find her?”

“Well, that’s the thing -- I don’t know anymore.  I would have said Egypt, but after the Expulsion....”  Healing’s words petered out as he looked at the fallen angel helplessly.  “I would think she’d be on the Egyptian plane, but who knows which plane that is...?”

Lucifer’s insides went cold.  “Surely there must be someone who knows?”

“Wisdom might -- he’s had interactions with many gods.”

Wisdom...?  For some reason that struck a chord in the fallen angel’s brain, but he couldn’t recall why at the moment.  Shrugging off the odd sensation, he grabbed his brother-in-law by his robes and pulled him toward the front room.  “Then let’s go.”

Sachiel dashed up and stood in front of her brother, her eyes sparking with fury.  “Lucifer, stop it!  Healing’s not some toy you can drag around!”

“But he’s  _ your _ toy, is that it?” Lucifer said with a wicked gleam in his eye, which made both his sister and his brother-in-law turn bright red.  Smirking, he let go of the Old God’s robes and gave him a short bow.  “Lead the way, Healing.”

 

 

________________________________________

 

 

Wisdom’s house was an unassuming little structure on the edge of the village.  Its thatched roof was steep and almost touched the ground, making the house resemble an “A”.  A nice little veranda surrounded the structure, but everything else looked in a state of disrepair.  With cultivated rice paddies in front of it and a thick forest behind, the dwelling looked like an ancient gateway to another world. 

“Wisdom lives  _ here?” _ Lucifer asked in disbelief.  “Why, this place is a dump!”

“He’s been gone a very long time,” Healing said as he led the way to the front door and knocked.

The door slid open to reveal a lanky, middle-aged man with silver hair and smiling eyes, clad in black robes.  “Healing!  Welcome!  And I see you brought guests.  Come in!”

As they piled into the house which was surprisingly clean inside, the tall god led them to the dining room table in the center of the room.  Pulling out cushions, he placed them on the floor, and beckoned them to sit.  

“Please make yourself at home,” he said as he went into the kitchen and came back with tea and cookies.  “I apologize for the poor hospitality -- this is all I can offer for now.  I have only recently come back home -- Sun had me busy mediating all sorts of problems.”

Lucifer’s brows drew down as he puzzled over Wisdom and his actions.  There was something about the Old God that bespoke familiarity -- especially his eyes -- even though he knew he had never seen him before.  Finally, he spoke.  “I’m sorry, have we met?”

Wisdom smiled broadly at him as he poured the tea and handed out cups.  “Why, of course we have, although I’m not surprised you don’t recognize me, Mister Morningstar.”

As soon as the god said his name, the memory in Lucifer’s brain clicked into place and he beamed at him.  “Ray!  Ray, you old dog, so this is where you’ve been hiding!  I should have known when I saw the tea and cookies.”

Wisdom laughed.  “Old habits die hard.”  His bright eyes looked at Sachiel.  “Ah... the memory angel.”

She grew pale at his words.  “You... you know?”  

Healing leaned over and took her hand in his, giving it a gentle, reassuring squeeze.  The older god studied her with kind eyes.  “I used to work at a memory repository, and saw many things there.  I know what you did to Mister Morningstar and his family, and also what you did for them.  I have heard many good things about you in the village.  I bear you no ill will.”  Turning to the Devil, he asked, “How is Compassion, Trixie, and the baby?”

All joy fell from Lucifer’s face.  “Beatrice and Emrys are fine.  It’s my wife we’re here to see you about.”

“Compassion was poisoned, but we don’t know what she was given, other than that it’s celestial in nature,” Healing said.  “I think Ta-Bitjet may have an antidote, but we don’t know if she still lives after the Expulsion.”

“Ah.”  The older god nodded.  “One of the scorpion goddesses.  Yes, she still lives.  I remember seeing some of those memories.”

“Splendid,” Lucifer said with a lift of his chin.  “Can you tell us which plane she is on?”

A doubtful expression crossed Wisdom’s face.  “I can, but I’m not sure if she will be able to help you --”

“Right.  I’ll get down on my knees and beg her if I have to.  Chloe’s life is at stake, and I can’t --”  The fallen angel broke off and looked away briefly as he struggled for composure.  He took a deep breath before speaking again.  “I  _ will _ get the antidote from her.  Just tell me how to find her.”

“But Mister Morningstar, you should know --”

“Look, just tell me,” the Devil interrupted as he closed his eyes and struggled to hold onto his patience.

Wisdom’s eyes filled with sadness, and he shook his head.  “So young, so impetuous.  Very well.  She’s on the Egyptian plane, but I don’t know how you can find it.  I have the image in my head, but no photos....”

Lucifer brightened at that.  “Sachi can help.”

His sister stared at him, aghast.  “Lucifer, what --”

The fallen angel broke into a grin.  “Don’t you see?  You can pull the memory out of his head and put it into mine.  If I know what to look for, I can find where this Ta-Bitjet is.”

“A fine idea, Mister Morningstar.”  Nodding somberly, Wisdom turned to Sachiel.  “Would you be open to taking a look?”

Looking uncomfortable, the dark-haired angel nodded.  “If... if you will permit it.”

“You don’t have to do it if you don’t want to,” Healing said quietly, but she shook her head.

“If it will help Chloe, I’ll do it.”

“You are strong.  That is good,” Wisdom said with a slight smile, then grew serious.  “I must warn you that there are many memories in my head.  Do not delve too deeply -- it may damage your psyche permanently.”

Sachiel swallowed hard and nodded.  “If you can put that memory foremost in your mind, it will help.”

Rising, she stood next to the seated god and placed her hand on his forehead while she closed her eyes.  A pink light flared briefly from her hand before she fell back with a cry.  Both Healing and Lucifer lurched forward to catch her, but she regained her footing and straightened.  Concern swept through the fallen angel at the sight of his sister’s wan face.

“Are you all right?” he asked, while Healing went to her side and held her hand supportively.

“I... I think so.”  

Waving the healer off, she made her way to her brother’s side and placed a trembling hand on his forehead.  A memory popped into the Devil’s mind -- of a giant expanse of desert, fertile valleys, and the sea....

“I can see it,” he breathed.

Sachiel’s hand fell away and she clutched at Healing, who wrapped his arms around her and held her close.  After a long minute, she glanced at Wisdom.  “You weren’t jesting about the memories.  Even in those few seconds I saw....”  Closing her eyes, she buried her face against Healing’s shoulder as she trembled.

“Far too much,” Wisdom said, his eyes sad.  “I am sorry.”

“Hey, Sachi, it’s okay,” Healing whispered as he helped her back to her seat.  When he picked up her teacup, Lucifer saw his hand glow for a moment.  “Here -- drink some tea.  It may help.”

The angel took a long sip, then sighed.  The Devil was relieved to see her hands stop shaking.  “That is better.  Thank you.”

“Will you be able to locate them now, Mister Morningstar?” Wisdom asked.

“I think so.  It may take a bit of time, but I’ll find the goddess.”  He smiled at the Old God.  “Thank you, Ray -- or should I say Wisdom?”

The older god smiled back wistfully. “Ray is fine.  I miss Earth.  Being called Ray reminds me of the human life I left behind.”  As the angels and the healer stood to leave, Wisdom rose to his feet as well, his face pensive.  “Please be careful, Mister Morningstar -- the charisma of the Egyptian Gods is stronger than other gods....”

Not sure what Wisdom was trying to say and not really caring, the fallen angel shrugged off the warning and shook hands with the god.  “I’ll be fine.”

 

 

________________________________________

 

 

As they left Wisdom’s house, Lucifer fretted about Chloe.  Well, Chloe -- and time.  The memories of his experience in finding Healing’s plane back when his wife had needed his help the first time around haunted him.   _ That _ had resulted in disaster -- at least the first try had.  There would be no Chloe to rescue him if he accidentally went to the wrong plane and found himself a prisoner again.  And what if he found the Egyptian plane, but was too late to save Chloe?  His heart pounded in his chest.  No...that possibility didn’t even bear thinking about.  Right.  He’d just have to find this Ta-Bitjet in time.  Period.

“I’m worried,” Lucifer finally said as they started back to Healing’s house.  “Chloe has so little time....  Is there anything you can do to help extend that?  Anything at all?”

Healing frowned.  “You said Rafe can keep her alive until he runs out of energy?”

“Yes, but only for a day or two -- hardly enough time to find an antidote.”

The Old God thought hard a moment before shifting his gaze to the fallen angel.  “Well, maybe we can buy more time.”  Reaching over, Healing plucked Sachiel’s hand from her side and gave it a squeeze.  Her face grew red at the contact, but the healer didn’t seem to notice.  “I can’t go, but Sachi can.  She can go in my place.”

“What?!”  The angel looked horrified at his statement as she faltered to a stop, bringing them all to a halt on the path.  Lucifer’s heart stuttered before pounding fiercely as his spirits lifted.

“Please, Sachi,” Healing said with a pleading look as he clutched her hand with both of his.

Her eyes growing round with worry, Sachiel gave a nervous laugh that dissolved into a wail.  “I... I don’t know anything about healing! I’ll kill her!”  

“You won’t.”  Healing’s eyes burned with intensity.  “I know you won’t.  Look, you’ve been with me for the last two months, helping me with simple remedies.  You know my powders as well as I do, and your tonics are good.  Many patients have said so --”

“But those were just concoctions for minor wounds!  I’m not a healer -- Chloe could die if I mess up!”

“You won’t.  I have complete confidence in you.  You can do this, Sachi -- you’re as good a healer as me.  Better, even.  Believe in yourself.  You can keep Rafe’s energy levels high, and your tonics can help slow down the rate of damage Compassion’s undergoing.  We can give her more time.”

The angel’s face grew red at Healing’s words, but she still shook her head.  “But --”

“Please, sister,” Lucifer said.  “You’re the only hope Chloe has.”

The Old God caressed her cheek.  “Please, Sachi.”

Glancing at the two of them with dread, she finally swallowed hard and nodded.  “Okay.  Okay, I’ll do it.”

“That’s my girl.”  Leaning forward, Healing pressed his forehead to hers.  “Thank you.”

When the couple did nothing more than that, Lucifer frowned with disapproval.  “That’s it?  You’re not even going to kiss her?  Bloody hell, man, you should at least have sex with her!  Well, not now, but when Sachi comes back. We can’t spare the time right now, not even for a quickie, but later --”

Flushing, Sachiel turned to her brother and bared her teeth at him.  “Shut up, Lucifer.”

At the fallen angel’s words, Healing grew bright red and dropped his hand from his girlfriend’s cheek.  “Uh... I... yeah.  Uh....  Let’s hurry back to the house.  I’ll get a box ready for you, Sachi.”

“Thanks a lot, Lucifer!” Sachiel scolded as Healing took off running ahead of them.

He beamed.  “You’re welcome.”

“That’s not what I meant and you know it!”

“What?”  He looked innocently at her, then sighed as she continued to glare at him.  “Right.  Look, Sachi, when opportunity knocks, you have to answer --”

“Healing is not like you!”

“I can see that.  If he was, you would have had sex long before now --”

She let out a strangled cry.

The journey back went quickly as the angels took to the air.  As they entered the house, the Old God met them with a lacquered box.  “Here you are.”  After handing it to Sachiel, he turned to his brother-in-law.  “Don’t give up hope yet, Lucifer.”

As the Devil gazed at Healing and Sachiel, tears of gratitude stung his eyes.  Furiously blinking them away, he cleared his throat and took a deep breath.  “Right.  Let’s go, Sachi.”

With that, Lucifer and his sister took off, flying hard and fast for Los Angeles... and Chloe.

 

 


	10. Finding the Right Plane

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A big thank you to my excellent beta, ScooterThyme!

 

 

When Lucifer and Sachiel returned to the penthouse, the fallen angel found Trixie, Maze and Amenadiel in the living room.  He didn’t see Raphael, but he knew he was in the master bedroom with his wife.  Touching down gently onto the tiles, he folded his wings as he strode into the room and slung on the shirt he had left on the couch earlier.  As he fastened the buttons, the little girl lunged at him.

“Daddy!” she yelled.  An “oof” escaped him as she barrelled into him and hugged him hard.  When her arms tightened almost painfully around his slim waist, he glanced down to see the worry shining in her eyes.

“What’s wrong with Mommy?  Why is she sick?”

“Ah... right.  About that....”  Lucifer turned to Sachiel for help, but she merely gazed back at him with a lifted eyebrow.  He was on his own.  “How is your mother doing?”

Trixie frowned as she released his waist and held his hand instead.  “She’s in bed with Emmie, and Rafe is sitting in a chair by the bed, holding her hand.  She doesn’t look too good.”

“Well, I brought Sachiel to help out.”  He waved at his sister, who gave the little girl a smile.

“Can you help me make some tonics for your mother and Raphael?” the angel asked.  Trixie immediately brightened and followed her to the kitchen.  

Crisis averted -- for now.  Breathing a sigh of relief, Lucifer took a step toward the master bedroom when Maze and Amenadiel intercepted him.

“I want to know what’s wrong with Chloe,” the demon said as she stopped him with a hand to his chest.  “We had no idea just how sick she was until we got here.”

Amenadiel frowned at him.  “What’s going on?  Maybe we can help.”

“Right.”  Lucifer ushered them both to the far side of the living room, out of earshot of everyone.  “Chloe’s been poisoned.”

Maze’s mouth fell open.  “”Poisoned?!”  

“Shhh, not so loud!”  The Devil shot a furtive glance in the direction of the kitchen.  “I don’t want Beatrice to worry.”

“How did she get poisoned?” the burly angel asked, his eyebrows drawing down to transform his usually serene expression into something fierce.

“And who did it?!” hissed the demon.  “I’ll gut them like a fish, and then chop their innards into little pieces all while they watch themselves die --”

“A lovely sentiment, but not feasible.”  Lucifer rubbed his forehead.  “Look, it’s a long story, and we don’t have much time.  I need your help -- both of you.  I have to find the Egyptian Old Gods.”

His brother’s mouth tightened.  “But how can we help?  There are thousands of planes, and we don’t even know which ones have the Old Gods on them.  It will take forever to search them all....”

“Ah... right.  I have a solution for that quandary.”  Striding to his study with Maze and Amenadiel on his heels, he pulled open the drawer to his desk and held up several sheets of parchment.  “From Metatron’s own record books.”

“What are those doing here?!”  His brother gaped at him, aghast.  “Heavenly Father, Luci, you shouldn’t have those --”

The Devil grinned.  “But I do.  And we have good old Rafe to thank.”

_ “Raphael _ stole them?!”

“Well, he aided and abetted,” Lucifer said with a wink.  

Amenadiel scowled in the direction of the master bedroom.  “I’m going to have to talk with our brother....”

The demon shoved her way past her boyfriend to stand in front of the fallen angel with her arms crossed.  “How are these scraps of paper going to help Chloe?”

“My dear Maze, these ‘scraps of paper,’ as you so call them, have a description of every single plane that the Old Gods were banished to.  Sadly they don’t say which gods were banished where, which would have made things easier, but....”  He waved dismissively.  “At any rate, all we have to do is find the description that matches the picture in my head, and voilà!  Egyptian Old Gods, here I come.”  Lucifer grinned broadly as he rubbed his knuckles on his shirt.  “Pure genius, if I must say so myself.  But here....”  He passed out the papers.  “Help me look.”

Squinting at Metatron’s spidery handwriting, Amenadiel scowled.  “Goodness, our brother needs to practice his cursive.”

Maze scowled at the Devil.  “And just what are we looking for?”

“Ah!  A plane with a lush valley, a desert, and the ocean.”  The fallen angel sat down at his desk and started looking. When he saw his brother and demon still staring at him, he clapped his hands rapidly.  “Well, just don’t stand there, help me look!  Come on, chop chop!”

Taking seats around the study, the threesome went to work.  For fifteen minutes they poured over Metatron’s papers, reading through hundreds of descriptions.  Some planes had valleys and deserts, some had deserts and oceans, some had oceans, valleys, and jungles....  The combinations of landscapes were endless.

At one point, Maze lowered her list and scowled.  “This is impossible.  We’ll never find it.”

Her pessimism brought a frown to the Devil’s face.  “Never say never.  Keep looking -- Chloe’s depending on us.”  

As they worked, Lucifer’s gaze couldn’t help but drift over to where the master bedroom was.  He didn’t want to see Chloe until he had some good news, but he longed to check on her.  Did she blame him for her condition?  He wouldn’t be surprised if she did -- this whole mess would never have happened if he hadn’t been with her.  

Penelope was right.  This was all his fault.  He was cursed, after all -- nothing good ever came of him being happy.  In the long run, his joy always wrought pain and suffering on everyone else.  Convincing himself that he could be happy had been a fool’s endeavor -- he just hadn’t wanted to admit it.  His mere presence was a disruption, a jinx to Chloe’s peace of mind.  Should he leave her?  He didn’t want to -- far from it! -- but if it kept her safe, wasn’t it worth it?  When he had tried to leave her before, he had let Chloe convince him that his place was by her side -- but maybe he had been wrong to return?  

Then again, how could he leave?  Chloe, Beatrice, Emrys... they were his family.  Chloe was his beloved wife -- he’d die without her.  And what of the children?  He would be the first to admit that he disliked spawn, but he loved Beatrice and Emrys.  He did not want his children to grow up without a father.  Although.... maybe no father would be better than a failure of one who brought nothing but destruction in his wake?

He was jolted out of his ruminations by Amenadiel’s whoop.  “I found it!”

Lucifer’s heart skipped a beat, then hammered out a fierce tattoo.  Scrambling to his feet, he knocked his chair over and nearly tripped on it in his haste to reach his brother.  Maze beat him there, leaning over the arm of the chair to peer over her boyfriend’s shoulder.

“Right there,” Amenadiel said, pointing at a spot on the paper in front of him, just as Lucifer reached him. 

The Devil snatched the paper out of the angel’s hand.  Grinning as he looked at the entry, he shook his brother’s shoulder.  “Well done, brother, well done!”

The angel glanced up at him.   “So what’s the plan?” 

“Huh?  Oh.  Right.”  Unable to stop smiling, he beamed at Amenadiel and Maze.  “Now I go fetch the antidote and bring it back to save Chloe.”

Maze looked skeptical.  “Are you just going to waltz in and take it?”

“I sincerely hope so.”  His eyes flew to his brother.  “I need a robe... something inconspicuous.  I don’t want a repeat of the Greek fiasco.  Might you have one that I can borrow?”

“I think so --”

“I’m coming with you,” the demon interrupted ruthlessly.

Lucifer blinked at her.  “I beg your pardon?”

Maze slammed her hand down on Amenadiel’s shoulder, making him wince.  “You need me, and besides, I’m not about to let you have all the fun.  Lately you’ve been running off and doing battle without me, and I’m sick of it!”

The Devil opened his mouth to object, but saw the obstinate expression on his demon’s face, as well as something else in her eyes -- was that a beseeching look?  For a moment he didn’t understand, then comprehension dawned.  Maze was just as worried over Chloe as he was, and didn’t like feeling helpless or useless.  Having experienced that himself, Lucifer could empathize.

“Very well.”  

“I want to help too,” Amenadiel piped up as he rose out of the chair.

The fallen angel frowned.  Goodness, too many of them and the Old Gods would think they were under siege!  “No, I need you to stay here.”

“But --”

Lucifer stared intently into the angel’s eyes.  “Right.  Listen to me, brother.  The poison is celestial in nature, which means someone in our family had something to do with this.  I need to find the Old Gods to get an antidote, but in the meantime I want my family safe.  Raphael and Sachiel are strong, but they aren’t fighters.  I need you to protect everyone.”

Amenadiel was silent as he considered his fallen brother’s words, before he finally nodded.  “You can count on me.” 

“Good man.”

“I’ll get some robes for you both.”  

“Make sure they aren’t those dresses you seem to favor!” Lucifer yelled as his brother walked to the elevator, before turning to Maze.  “I need a container to carry the antidote in.  Can you find one?”

The demon marched to the kitchen, tossing over her shoulder, “Leave it to me.”

The fallen angel watched her for a few seconds before turning on his heel and striding to the master bedroom.  Trixie and Emrys cuddled on each side of Chloe, who had her arms around them.  Pausing at the doorway, Lucifer leaned against the framing and felt his heart constrict, like someone had grabbed it and squeezed.

This was his family, and he would do everything he could to protect them.

Raphael sat in a chair by the bed, his hand aglow with a soft blue light as he loosely clasped Chloe’s wrist.  He glanced at Lucifer, who tipped his head toward the door.  With a nod, the healer rose to his feet and silently slipped from the room.

As the fallen angel approached the bed, Chloe opened her eyes.  Lucifer’s face softened as he closed the gap and squeezed her hand that was wrapped around Trixie.  “How do you feel, dearheart?”

“Like a truck ran me over.”  She looked at the two sleeping children beside her.  “Having them next to me gives me strength -- Emrys especially.  I feel... healthier when he’s beside me.”

He smiled down at her.  “Well, he does take after his mother.”  

She chuckled, then frowned and closed her eyes.  “I hate this.”

His chest tightened painfully.  “I know.”  Standing over her, looking down at her pale face, Lucifer felt the sting of tears in his eyes.  He couldn’t bear seeing her suffering and weak.  Carefully sitting down on the edge of the bed so as not to jostle Trixie, he leaned over and caressed Choe’s leg through the blankets.  “I have some good news and some not-so-good news.”

Sighing heavily, she opened her eyes and studied him.  “Give me the not-so-good news first.”

“Right.”  Lucifer fidgeted with his cufflinks for a few long seconds, then finally said in a soft voice, “I’m afraid Healing doesn’t have anything that can help you.”  As Chloe’s face fell, he scrambled to cheer her up.  “But fear not! There  _ is _ an antidote.  It’s on a plane called Kumat, and I’m going now to fetch it.”

A worried expression came over her face as she gazed at him.  “Have you been there before?”

The ceiling was suddenly the most interesting thing in the world.  Lucifer stared at it intently as he cleared his throat.  “Well, no....”

“Lucifer, I don’t want you to throw yourself into danger for me --”

“I’m not!  I’ll be perfectly fine.”  Giving her a confident smile, the fallen angel rubbed her leg up and down.  “Right.  I’ll be taking Maze with me, so you can rest assured that all will be well.”

She didn’t look convinced.  “I have a bad feeling about this....”

“Come now, what could go wrong?”  He smiled charmingly at her.  “In and out -- it shouldn’t take long at all.”

Chloe gently disengaged her arm from around Trixie to clutch at his hand.  “Don’t take any chances, Lucifer.  If you find yourself in danger, come home.  I don’t want anything to happen to you.”

The fallen angel took her hand in both of his and lifted it to his lips, reverently kissing the back of it.  His heart hammered in his chest as his insides squeezed so tightly that he could barely breathe.  “I’m going to fix this, Chloe.  I won’t let anything happen to you.”

She gave him a beatific smile.  “I know.”

Her faith in him shook him to the core.  With a final kiss to her hand, Lucifer rose to his feet and hurried out of the master bedroom.  He didn’t dare look back -- if he did, he’d start bawling like a baby and never let her go.  She meant so much to him -- she was his entire world.  He couldn’t fail her...  _ wouldn’t _ fail her.

As he walked into the living room, he stripped out of his dress shirt and tossed it on the piano bench.  Maze and Amenadiel stood by the couch with Sachiel and Raphael.  Lucifer’s eyebrows rose at the sight of the backpack in his demon’s hands, which his brother was stuffing full with....

“Oh, bloody hell -- didn’t I specifically say no dresses?”

Amenadiel gave his fallen brother a look that would have turned him into stone, had he been a lesser being.  “This was all I had.”

Lucifer’s mouth twisted with distaste at the off-white robes that resembled hooded wedding gowns.  “Don’t you have anything more... fashionable?”

“I already asked,” Maze snarled with a glare at her boyfriend.  “He said no.”

Shaking his head, the Devil fingered the coarse material and shot a glance at the demon.  “I really don’t know how you can date someone with such lack of style --”

The burly angel rolled his eyes.  “Do you want them or not?”

With a heavy sigh, Lucifer nodded.  “I’m left with no choice but to take them, if that’s all you have.”

“Then shut up.”  Amenadiel finished stuffing them into the backpack.  

The Devil sniffed then turned to his demon.  “And did you find something to carry the antidote in?”

“I threw a couple of those plastic containers Decker is so crazy about into the pack.”  Maze’s gaze fell to the ground as she scowled.  “She always says I destroy the tops.”

“I hope you kept them whole...?” Lucifer asked, amusement lighting his eyes.

The demon smiled as she slung on the backpack.  “Yeah,  _ this _ time.”  Turning to Amenadiel, she punched him hard in the gut.  The angel doubled over with a loud “oof!”  “Take care of the family, sexy beast.  When I get back we’ll celebrate.”  Yanking his head up with both her hands, Maze kissed him voraciously.

Their faces red, Raphael and Sachiel tried to ignore the couple practically mauling each other with their mouths.

“Good luck,” the healer said as he clasped Lucifer on the shoulder.

“We’ll take care of Chloe... you can count on us,” Sachiel added.

The fallen angel smiled at his siblings.  “I know I can.  We’ll be back as soon as possible.”  Reaching over, he grabbed Maze’s arm and hauled her away from his burly brother.  “Right.  There will be time for snogging later -- let’s go.”

Sweeping Maze into his arms, he unfurled his huge, powerful wings as he strode onto the balcony.  Taking a big leap, he launched himself into the night sky.

 

 


	11. The Sandstorm

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A super huge thank you to my excellent beta, ScooterThyme! You rock!

 

 

When Lucifer and Maze arrived in Kumat, they found themselves in the middle of a sandstorm.

Lucifer had been in sandstorms before -- Hell was famous for them -- but nothing had prepared him for the ferocity of this tempest.  As soon as they entered the atmosphere, the sand, the wind --  _ everything _ \-- seemed to hit them from out of nowhere.  Pulling in Maze as close as he could, he tucked her head against his chest, doing his best to shield her from the worst of the storm’s fury.

Squinting against the flying debris, he tried to see in the gloom.  Even with the full moon providing soft illumination with its shining light, and his and Maze’s excellent vision in the darkness -- Hell was quite dark, after all -- the swirling, stinging dust in the air made it almost impossible to see.  This wasn’t what the Devil had been expecting.  He had hoped to fly into the valley -- for surely that was where the gods were? -- see Ta-Bitjet, grab the antidote and return home.  It looked like things would not be that simple.

Buffeting him on all sides, the fierce wind pushed and pulled at him, tossed him up then threw him down.  At its mercy, Lucifer tumbled, but as soon as he righted himself, he was yanked violently skyward like a helpless marionette with a crazed puppetmaster.  Grit filled his nose and mouth until he could barely breathe.  The wind screeched in a discordant, haunting chorus as stinging sand pummeled his face.  They needed shelter desperately -- to stay in this was to die.

The storm grew ever stronger, as if it knew of their presence and was trying to expel them, but he forced his way forward.  Despite closing his eyes to mere slits as he flew, the stinging sand penetrated past his lids.  The granules grated against his vision like tiny knives, each one sharper than the last, until he wanted to clutch his face and howl in torment -- but he couldn’t afford that luxury.  The thought of Chloe dying back on Earth kept him moving.  He would make it through this and find the antidote for her -- failure was not an option.  

Pain wrapped itself around his body like a sadistic lover, torturing him, beating him, flaying him alive as the sand abraded the skin off of his exposed body.  The wind clutched at his wings and tore at his feathers until he finally lost control, plummeting to the ground.  Maze’s grip tightened around him as the world soared up to meet them.  Holding her securely, Lucifer twisted at the last minute, taking the major brunt of the impact against his shoulder and side.  They bounced, tumbled, rolled as one until they finally came to a halt, with the fallen angel lying on top of Maze.  

For a long moment he lay there, unable to move, as the storm dumped piles of sand on top of them.  Feeling Maze stir under him, he tried to rise, but all his muscles screamed in defiance and refused to obey his commands.  Gritting his teeth, Lucifer swore.  The Devil would not be beaten by a bloody scirocco!  Concentrating all of his will, he pulled himself onto his hands and knees, using his wings as a tent to shield them as much as he could.

“Lucifer!”  He could barely hear Maze over the screaming winds.  Attempting to open his eyes, he found that he couldn’t -- it felt as if someone had plunged twin daggers into his eye sockets and twisted the blades.  Taking a deep breath, he tried to control the shooting agony stabbing his head.  Tears poured down his cheeks, but the moisture only attracted the stinging grit in the air, caking his face with sand.  

“Maze?” he yelled.  “Are you hurt?”

“I’m okay, but....”  Maze suddenly cursed, long and loud.  

The fallen angel had no doubt that she was cursing the bloody weather -- as he was.  “I’m afraid I can’t see at the moment -- is there anywhere we can shelter?”

“I can’t see anything in this... this mess.”

“Well we can’t stay here.  I’ll shield you as best as I can, if you’ll direct us?”

Her strong hands took a hold of his arm and helped him to his feet.  When he felt her warmth against his side, he pulled her close with one arm and held on to make sure they didn’t get separated.  Extending his wings, he wrapped them around her as best as he could.  Sand pelted him relentlessly, so he kept his head down.  

The excruciating pain in his eyes stabbed at him, sending jolts of torture through his throbbing head.  He wanted it to stop!  But when he reached up to rub his tormented eyes, something caught him hard around the wrist, making him stumble.  

“Don’t touch them!” Maze snapped as Lucifer belatedly realized she had grabbed him.

He instinctively squeezed his eyes tighter, which only intensified the agony.  Cursing, he clenched his teeth.  “Remind me to wear a bloody helmet with a face shield the next time we come here.”

“Hopefully there won’t be a next time.”  Her voice softened. “Now come on.”

Tightening his hold around Maze’s waist, he let her guide him.  The sand sucked at his feet, pulling him down with each step.  Walking was almost impossible with the howling wind and sand swirling around them, but somehow he managed.  Lurching to and fro, he would have fallen several times had Maze not held him up.  Time lost all meaning to the fallen angel as walking became more and more difficult, until all he could do was concentrate on putting one foot in front of the other.

Just as Lucifer began to think that they would never get out of the raging sandstorm, the stinging rain of pelting granules stopped, the howling wind lessened in intensity, and the air grew cool.  The ground beneath him felt reassuringly hard and solid under his feet.  Relieved at the sudden peacefulness around him, the fallen angel lowered his wings.

“Can you call up some light?”  Maze’s voice echoed all around him -- she must have found a big cave in which they could take cover.  Taking a deep breath, he thought he could smell the faint scent of moisture in the air.  

“I think so.”  Lucifer concentrated, drawing just a sliver of his Lightbringer energy into his palm.  The little spark popped and sizzled on his hand like water dancing on a skillet.  Unable to see how much illumination his little star was giving off, he hoped it would be enough to serve as a guiding light.  Holding the light ahead of him on his outstretched hand, he let Maze lead him down a twisting path.  When they finally stopped, Lucifer tried to open his eyes, but gave up when the fluttering of his lids set off a jackhammer in his head.  Why the hell couldn’t he open his eyes?  He tried to touch his face, but Maze slapped his hand away.

_ “Don’t touch!” _

Her whole attitude puzzled him.  Why did she keep telling him that?  He just wanted to remove the grit from his eyes and see where they were.  “Right.  I’m tired of being blind.  Let me just wipe some of this sand away -- it’s giving me a monstrous headache.”  He lifted his hand again, only to find it caught in her vice-like grip.

Maze growled at him.  “They need a proper rinsing.  Now stop it.”

“But they  _ hurt --” _

“I know.”  Her voice gentled.  “Just... just trust me on this, okay, Lucifer?  Don’t touch them.”

He pouted, trying hard to ignore the pain his eyes were giving them.  “Very well.  I don’t suppose there’s any water around...?”  

“I’ll go look for some.”

“You’ll need light --”

“I can see well enough if I don’t wander too far.  Your light is almost as bright as daylight.”  He felt Maze take his arm and guide him a few steps forward.  “Sit here and wait for me.”

“Sit where?”  Reaching out, he felt around with his hand until he found a rock.  Well... it felt like a rock?  Keeping a steadying hand on the stone, he lowered himself onto it, then gently placed his little star on the rock beside him.  It sputtered angrily at having to leave the cradle of his hand. 

“Quiet, you,” he told the light.  Tilting his head in Maze’s direction, he listened as her footsteps echoed around the cavern and faded away.

Silence descended around him, although the wailing of the angry wind could still be heard in the distance.  Feeling exposed and vulnerable, Lucifer leaned forward, resting his elbows on his thighs and linking his hands together.  His stomach fluttered, but he ignored it.  There wasn’t anything to worry about -- he’d rinse out his eyes and then they’d find Ta-Bitjet.  

He tapped his leg on the ground as he waited for Maze to return.  Time seemed to slow down to a crawl.  How long had it been now?  Five minutes?  Ten?  Where was she?  Cocking his head, the fallen angel tried to listen for his companion, but all he could hear were the occasional scratches and bits of debris sloughing onto the floor.  An animal, perhaps?  Or just the sand getting blown into the cave?  As the sounds grew louder and louder in his ears, amplified by the echoing cavern around him, a shaft of unease speared through him.

Chiding himself for his overreaction to what was probably merely a rat, Lucifer sat up straight and gave his giant wings a good shake.  Granules of sand stuck between every feather, irritating his skin and making him itch.  Bloody hell, he felt absolutely filthy!   He folded his wings, only to find that the itching increased, so he shook them out again.  What he needed was a nice hot shower....

Heaving a sigh, he tried to brush the grit off of his chest and hissed when sharp pain radiated wherever he touched.  Bloody hell, that sandstorm had been brutal!  With gentle fingers, he touched his skin and was shocked to feel welts -- the kind that deep scratches left -- all over his exposed body.  Sand shouldn’t have been able to do such damage to him.  He was immortal... unless this world was like Hell, and he wasn’t immune to its properties?  Or had that storm been brought on by a god?  Certainly anything a celestial did would affect him....

But then... then what of his  _ eyes?! _

His heart started to pound in his chest as his breathing grew shallow.  A chill settled in his heart, then spread throughout his insides.  Surely they only hurt because there was some grit in them....  Surely it was just that?  It couldn’t possibly be anything more serious... could it?  For how was he to get the antidote for Chloe if he couldn’t bloody  _ see?! _

No, no, no.  He was mistaken -- he had to be.  Just sand granules in his eyes, that’s all it was.  That’s what was causing the pain.  Once he washed them out, he would be fine.  Yes, he was sure of it.

He took a deep breath and let it out slowly, repeating the relaxation technique until he felt the knot loosen in his chest.  Letting out a rueful chuckle, he shook his head at his brief flash of panic.  Silly -- of course he was fine!  It was just some sand in his eyes, that’s all it was.  Nothing more than that.  

And yet, he couldn’t control the trembling of his hand as he reached up and touched his cheek.  He had promised not to touch his eyes, but that didn’t mean he couldn’t inspect the rest of his face.  He froze when he felt the same raised welts on his cheeks that he had on his chest and arms.  

_ Bloody hell. _

The soft sound of footsteps echoed around him, distracting him from his injuries.  As they grew louder, he lifted his head like a hound scenting prey and tried to pinpoint the direction from which they came.  His voice was tremulous as he called out, “Maze?”

The footsteps grew louder and louder.  Lucifer’s heart faltered.  If it was a hostile god, he didn’t have a weapon with which to defend himself -- not that it would do any good, since he couldn’t see.  Perhaps he should take cover....

He barked out a sharp, bitter laugh.  What good would that do?  There was no way he could hide effectively when he couldn’t even see from whom he was hiding.  No... he had to be sensible about this.  Rising to his feet, Lucifer snapped his wings out, stretching them in a threatening manner.  He had his strength, his very sharp flight feathers, and as a last resort, his lightbringer energy.  He’d pull that up if he had to.  The soft scraping noise of a blade being drawn caught his attention.  His stomach tightened as every muscle in his body tensed, ready for battle....

“Lucifer, what is it?  An enemy?” a familiar voice hissed at him.

_ Maze. _

The tension drained out of the fallen angel and he huffed out a laugh.  Of course, Maze!  Who else would it be?  What a fool he had been, imagining it was some unknown foe!  “No, no one,” he said with a crooked smile.  “I’m just a bit on edge.”  

“Well, calm down before you end up attacking me by mistake.”  Lucifer heard a small thunk as she sheathed her blade.  “I found a little water.”

Sitting back down on the rock, he listened to her approach.  He sensed her stopping in front of him, then jumped as something cold touched his face.  Cold... wet... a little coarse.  A wet piece of fabric...?  The rigidity left his body.  The cool material felt heavenly against his burning, scraped skin as the demon gently wiped away the grime.  When she brushed against his eyes, he flinched, but she held his face steady with one hand on his chin.  “Hold still.”  Her voice was quiet.

“I’m trying,” he said through gritted teeth as he told himself over and over that he felt no pain.

“Try harder.”

At last, when she finally finished wiping down his face, Lucifer breathed a sigh of relief.  Now, perhaps, he could see what damage had been done to his eyes.  A square box was thrust into his hands -- plastic, by the feel of it, with rounded corners.  It was a small tupperware that Maze had brought with them.  Gripping the container like a lifeline, he dipped a finger into its well to feel the cool water against his skin.

“Can you rinse out your eyes?” 

Afraid to speak, he only nodded as he poured some of the precious water into his cupped hand and brought one eye close.  Blinking rapidly underwater, he felt grains of sand loosen from his eye to drift to the bottom of his palm.  The icy cold water felt good, numbing his torment -- at least for a little while.  He repeated the process with his other eye, before lifting his head up.

Something soft and dry dabbed at his closed lids and he hissed through his teeth as the sharp pain stabbed at him again.  Maybe he still had some sand left in his eyes....

“Can you open them?”

Nodding mutely, he struggled to pry open his eyes, but he experienced such excruciating agony that he thought he was going to pass out.  Struggling to get the pain under control, he clamped his teeth hard and forced his eyelids open.  When he heard Maze’s sharp intake of breath, he swiveled his head toward the sound. 

“What?  What is it?”  Fear made his voice harsh.

At her silence, he furrowed his brows, then cursed.  He couldn’t keep his eyes open -- they hurt far too much.  The world spun around him, even though he saw nothing.  Pressing his eyelids shut, he inhaled deeply to fend off the lightheadedness that washed over him.  There -- that was a bit better.  In, out, in, out....

When Lucifer was finally able to speak, he said, “Tell me, Maze.”

“You... your eyes....”   She sounded hesitant, which couldn’t be. His demon was never hesitant.

He cocked his head at her.  “What about them?  What are you trying to say?”

When she said nothing, realization slowly dawned on him.  His stomach churned violently as a rush of saliva filled his mouth.  Nausea clawed at his throat and he dry-heaved before he swallowed convulsively in a bid for control.  

“Maze....”  His voice broke.  He laced his hands tightly together and took a deep breath, when all he really wanted to do was scream and scream and scream....  He opened his mouth to speak, but words failed him, leaving him mute.

She seemed to understand his torment, for he felt her hands wrap around his for a long moment in consolation.

He was trapped in a world of agonizing darkness.  The Devil was blind.

 

 


	12. Facing Reality

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A super huge thank you to my excellent beta, ScooterThyme! You're awesome!

 

 

It was far too early to panic.

At least that’s what Lucifer told himself.  Taking huge gulps of air, he struggled to halt the ever-quickening tempo of his heartbeat, the lightheadedness threatening to overtake him, and the sudden urge to start laughing hysterically.  This had to be a joke -- a cruel, horrible joke played on him by his mad father.  Or perhaps a bad dream...?  Any moment now, he’d awaken next to a perfectly healthy Chloe, and they’d laugh over this nightmare....

He waited a minute, then tried to open his eyes.  Agony shot right into the center of his head and he bit back a cry.  No.  No dream, this.

The ripping of cloth sounded loud in his ears.  What was Maze tearing cloth for?  And then the whisper of fabric touched his face and he understood.  He sat still as his demon made a makeshift bandage around his eyes and tied it securely.  If he hadn’t been sure before about his injuries, he was now.  

Blind.

His heart hardened into a frozen rock in his chest.  How was he going to find Ta-Bitjet if he couldn’t see?  He couldn’t fail Chloe, he just couldn’t!  If she died because he was stupid enough to get blinded in a sandstorm, he’d never forgive himself.  She was his life, his soul -- he couldn’t live without her.

Maze’s hands settled on his shoulders and he felt her body heat as she leaned forward, close to his ear.  “We’ll get the antidote, Lucifer.  We’ll get it.”

“How?  I’m bloody blind!” he bit out.  “And no healer in sight --”  He laughed harshly at his own words.  “Sight!  Ha!  What a joke.”  

“Lucifer --”

“This has to be some sort of sick prank.  Perhaps Mad Dad had something to do with it, for only he could come up with something as diabolical as this.  My wife poisoned, and me as blind as... as an eyeless cave fish!  No doubt the cave fish would be able to navigate this place better than me --”

_ “Lucifer.” _

Raising his face skyward, he yelled out, his echoes ricocheting off the walls of the cavern and bombarding him on all sides.  “Can you hear me, Dad?  I know you’re behind all this!  Is the madness just a facade?  Did you really think you c--”

Pain exploded in his cheek as his head was knocked to one side.  Gingerly cradling his aching jaw, he turned toward his demon.  “Bloody hell!”

“Get a hold of yourself, dammit!  You’re not helping Chloe by pitching a fit!”

Stung by her words, he glowered in her direction.  “I’m the Devil, Maze -- it’s what I do.”  

_ Blind. _

He still couldn’t believe it, even with the tiny voice in his head repeating, “ _ You’re a failure -- you’ve killed Chloe,” _ like a damnatory litany until he thought he would go insane.  How did this happen?  And what was he to do now?  He depended so much on his sight -- how was he going to accomplish his mission without it?  Hiding in a corner somewhere and having a good weep suddenly seemed like an excellent idea.

But no, he couldn’t do that. Chloe needed him, and the longer he wallowed in self-pity, the less time she had.  The clock was ticking.  Taking a deep breath, he tried to still the tightening in his chest and slow his rapid breathing.  The urge to start screaming uncontrollably was overwhelming, but he bit the inside of his cheek hard.  He was Lucifer Bloody Morningstar, for crying out loud!  He wasn’t about to let some stupid little thing like blindness stop him from saving his wife!

“I suppose you have a point.”  He slapped his palms against his thighs, then stood up.  “Right.  Let’s get going.”

She snorted derisively.  “With you looking like  _ that?” _

He lifted an eyebrow, then winced at the pain it caused.  “Like what?  A debonair but dusty Devil?”

“No -- like a damned angel.  Those wings are a dead giveaway that we’re not locals.  You wanted to be disguised, remember? Put them away and wear this robe.”

Lucifer bit his lower lip.  “I can’t.”

“Why not?”  Concern filled her voice.  “Are they damaged?”  

Warm hands suddenly touched his upper arms, spinning him around.  He felt her grab one of his wings to inspect it.  Caught by surprise at the contact, he instinctively pulled away from her grasp.  “No, they aren’t damaged.”  

“Then what is it?”

Heat rose in his cheeks and he mumbled, “They... they itch.”

For a few long seconds there was dead silence.  When Maze finally spoke, her voice was filled with disbelief.  “What?”

Lifting his chin, he cleared his throat.  “They itch.  It’s the sand -- they’re between the feathers and it’s so annoying --”

“You’ve _ got _ to be kidding me.”  Lucifer could practically hear the roll of her eyes.  “You’re going to get us killed by not putting away your wings because they  _ itch?” _

He scowled at her.  “You make it sound so frivolous --”

“Because it is!  For crying out loud, Lucifer, you have to put those things away.  Remember, wearing the robes was  _ your _ idea.”

Grumbling under his breath, the fallen angel reluctantly folded his wings.  They immediately burned as they lay against his back -- it was agony.  He shifted uncomfortably, trying not to squirm from the irritation.  Would it be too unbecoming if he rubbed up against a wall?

The coarse robe was thrust into his hands.  “Wear that,” Maze ordered.

Pulling at the garment, he tried to feel where the opening was, but couldn’t figure it out.  He couldn’t even find the bloody sleeves!  Lucifer felt his face grow hot as his insides churned.  Standing frozen, his hands twisted the fabric into an unrecognizable ball.

“What are you doing?”

The fallen angel winced at his demon’s sharp tone.  How could he tell her that he couldn’t tell which way was up on the garment?  That he needed to be dressed like baby Emrys?  A bitter laugh escaped him.  Imagine, the retired Lord of Hell unable to put on a simple robe!  He felt vulnerable, as if stripped naked in front of a million gawkers -- and not in a good “behold, my naked splendor!” way, either. 

A long moment passed before she said, “Oh.” 

The garment was taken from his hands.  He heard the rustle of material as she shook it out, then felt the whisper of fabric against him as she helped him into it, guiding his arms into the sleeves and lifting the hood over his head.

“There,” she said.  “Now you look almost as good as Amenadiel when he’s in his dress.”

“Don’t be insulting.”  He frowned.  “Wait -- what do you mean, ‘almost’...?”

“I mean  _ almost. _  My sexy beast can rock a robe like you wouldn’t believe.  Too bad I had to tear yours to make those bandages for your eyes.”  She snickered.  “You look like you’re wearing the capri version of a robe.”

Lucifer’s mouth fell open as horror enveloped him.  “You used  _ my _ robe to make my bandages?!”

“And the towels to wipe off your face.”  The amusement was clear in her voice.  “You didn’t think I was going to use  _ mine, _ did you?”

He did, actually.  Scowling, he crossed his arms in front of his chest and strode away indignantly -- an action that was ruined when he bumped into a wall, then tripped over a rock and fell flat on his face.  Swearing, he slammed his fist against the ground as heat burned his cheeks.  His demon laughed harder, but her hands were gentle as she helped him to his feet and dusted him off.

“Hey, the light that you called up is getting dim....”

“Without my energy or a giant ball of gas to keep it sustained, it will die.”  He couldn’t keep the irritation out of his voice.  “Take me to where I left it.”

She guided him back a few steps.  “The rock is right in front of you.”

Silently he bent down and felt for the little star that he had set down earlier.  Like a living thing, it leaped into his palm and sizzled to life.  Or at least, he thought it did.  He couldn’t really tell, but he could feel it drawing a thread of power.  Stretching out his hand with the light before him, he offered his other arm to his demon.  “The Lightbringer is in the house -- or is it cave, in this instance?  At any rate, lead on, my dear Maze.”

 

 

________________________________________

 

 

Although Maze had teased Lucifer about his robe, deep down inside she was worried.  It scared her to see him so badly injured.  The sight of his damaged eyes had sent her recoiling in horror -- her, his lead torturer in Hell!  Luckily, he hadn’t seen her reaction to his gruesome injury -- that would have probably sent him into a complete meltdown.  Even the memory of what she had seen was enough to send saliva rushing to her mouth and bile into her throat.   

Lucifer’s little light burned brilliantly in his hand, illuminating the reddish cavern walls and scaring off the strange shadows lurking among the rocks.  Not one to be nervous, the demon had to admit she was grateful for his makeshift torch -- at least she’d be able to see any attackers coming at them. Her free hand fell to her knife and stroked the hilt for reassurance.  

Glancing at the Devil, she saw him tapping his toe impatiently as he waited for her to lead.  She was rarely in a position for decision-making when it came to the two of them.  Lucifer was the Lord of Hell -- strong, powerful, invincible -- and she was his demon.  She had always followed him -- even to Earth, which had not been one of her happier moments.  Although she had become much more independent during their time in Los Angeles, it felt odd to have their roles reversed.

Taking a deep breath, Maze considered what their options were. They definitely couldn’t go back outside to that massive, dangerous sandstorm, nor could they sit and wait the storm out.  Recalling her earlier investigation of their surroundings, she thought she had felt a breeze coming from the back of the cave.  That meant that there had to be another way out, and they could keep on the move without getting pummeled by the vicious sands.  Decision made, the demon guided the Devil deeper into the cavern, until it turned into a long, winding tunnel.  When it split into three parts, she followed her gut instinct and chose the largest passage.

For a long time they walked.  Soon even the muffled sounds of the howling sandstorm faded until there was nothing but the echo of their own footsteps.  Maze looked ahead at the black maw of the tunnel before them, then back in the direction from whence they came.  Perhaps she should have taken a different route?  As doubts crept up on her, the quiet stillness pushed down around her like a thick, stifling blanket.  It unnerved her, for she had never been anywhere so silent before.  Even in the quietest parts of Hell, there was always the eerie moaning of the wind or the screams of the damned.

As if sensing her sudden indecision, Lucifer abruptly halted.  “Right.  Do you have any idea where we’re going?” 

She rolled her eyes at him, but then remembered that he couldn’t see her.  At that thought, pain lanced her chest and a weird burning, watery sensation stung her eyes.  Blinking away the strange feeling, she told herself it was just dust and took refuge in anger.  “Do I look like a fricking Kumat tour guide to you?  Of course I don’t know where I’m going!”

His brows furrowed, and he frowned. “We don’t have time to get lost.”

Maze glared at him.  “I know that!  But we can’t go back out into the storm.”

Pulling away from her hand on his arm, Lucifer turned in her direction and lifted his chin.  “I could protect you with my wings, like I did before --”

Fear of him suffering even more injuries made her voice harsh.  “Don’t be ridiculous.  We are  _ not  _ going back out there.”

His mouth tightened into a straight line.  “And so we should just wander aimlessly about in this cave?  I hardly think that’s wise --”

She flung up her arms, then waved behind them.  “Better to be wandering aimlessly in here than out there, don’t you think?”

His face hardening, his voice took on the silky tone it always did when he was annoyed.  At least she couldn’t see the coldness in his eyes -- although she would have preferred that, for then it would’ve meant that he was uninjured.  “But out there we’d at least be in the open air, and once the storm cleared --”

“What if it doesn’t?”  Ugh,  _ why _ was he arguing with her about this now?!  “What then?!  Do you really think we have ti--”  

“My, my, am I interrupting something?” a stranger’s voice, cool and amused, asked.

 

 


	13. Set

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A big thank you to my wonderful beta, ScooterThyme!

 

 

Maze froze at the sound of the newcomer’s voice.  In a blink of an eye she drew her knives, the blades singing in the air as they were freed from their sheaths.  Spinning on her heels, she crouched into a fighter’s stance.  She’d beat the crap out of anyone who dared to threaten them!

Her eyes fell upon the intruder who had come up from behind them.  There, slouching against the wall of the tunnel, was a man.  Or was he a man?  His head was that of an animal she had never seen before -- and she had seen a lot of strange living things in Hell.  The shape was like that of a canine, although his snout was long with a slight downward turn, and his erect ears resembled those of a donkey.  His skin gleamed like burnished gold -- or maybe he  _ was _ gold.  His mane was deep blue, made up of thick strands of lapis lazuli.

His body, though, did not resemble an animal in the least -- it was definitely that of a well defined, muscular athlete without an ounce of fat on him.  Although he wore a simple linen kilt, the wide necklace embedded with colorful gemstones made it clear he wasn’t a lesser god.  Wide cuffs wrought from gold and inlaid with dark purple tanzanite encircled his powerful biceps.  In his hands rested a long iron staff crowned with a stylized animal head that looked remarkably like him.

He was the most beautiful creature she had ever seen.

Maze couldn’t keep her mouth from falling open as he pushed himself off the red rocks.  With a smile on his canine face, he approached her with a lazy grace.  Sex appeal oozed from his pores, reaching out like tendrils and capturing the demon in its embrace.  A sense of wrongness overcame her, and for a brief moment she resisted, her senses screaming at her to move, run -- anything! -- but then her will buckled helplessly under his immense charm.

“Those are interesting knives you wield.”

“Huh?”  She glanced down at the weapons in her hands as if she had never seen them before.  “Oh.  Thanks.”

The god’s eyes glinted with amusement as she slowly lowered her blades to her side.  The fragrance of incense surrounded her as he walked up -- woody, smoky, with a hint of spice.  It was intoxicating.  Closing her eyes, Maze took a deep breath.  When she opened them, the being in front of her was even more beautiful than before, glowing with an aura around him that made her want to fall to her knees and beg him to make love to her.

“Maze?  Maze, what is it?”

She was dimly aware of Lucifer calling her as if from a great distance, but she found that she didn’t care what he had to say.  The only one who mattered was the god before her.  Just the sight of him filled her insides with a horrible thirst that could only be slaked by having mad, erotic sex with him.  

_ “Maze!” _

Lucifer’s sharp tone finally penetrated her passion-hazed brain.   _ “What?!” _

“Are you all right?”  

She heard the concern in his voice and puzzled over why he sounded worried.  Taking a close look at him, she wondered what she had ever seen in the first place that had made her follow him.  He was nothing compared to the vision standing in front of her.  Sheathing her knives, she scowled at her companion.  “Of course I’m all right.”  

His mouth tightened. “You don’t sound all right.”

“She is fine, my friend,” the god said with a smile as he sauntered over to the fallen angel.  Staring at the light that Lucifer held out, his black eyes grew speculative.  “That’s a fine light you have there.”

Lucifer’s hand snapped shut over the star, plunging the tunnel into blackness, although its light bled through the flesh of his hand and surrounded his fist with a red glow.  Scowling, he crossed his arms in front of his chest.  “Merely a trifle, I assure you.”

Maze blinked at her companion, puzzled as to why he seemed so... edgy.  Lucifer was usually charming and debonair -- the epitome of grace and culture.  Why was he being so rude?  And why the sudden tension in the air?  Didn’t Lucifer see how absolutely trustworthy the stranger was?  Couldn’t he sense it?  Why was he being so difficult?

By thumping his staff on the ground, the god set the stylized animal head aglow and a violet light filled the cavern.  He circled the Devil once, looking him over from head to toe.  “Ah -- a parlor trick, then?  Show me how you do that.”

Lucifer smiled in the stranger’s direction, the expression looking more feral than friendly, despite the bandages on his eyes.  “Oh, I’m sure you have far more tricks up your sleeve than I do.”

The god stared at him for a long moment before finally giving a little chuckle.  “I don’t have sleeves, my friend... but you can’t see that, can you?”

As Lucifer’s head reared back, his teeth bared and his face flushed, Maze jumped in between the two men.

“Stop being an ass, Lucifer,” she snarled as she stomped on his foot -- hard.  

Howling, he hopped away a few steps, tripped backward over a rock and onto the floor.  Panting hard, he pulled himself to his hands and knees.  “Bloody hell, Maze! What’d you do that for?”

She smiled at the god and let out a little giggle.  “Sorry, he’s just being difficult.”

The beautiful canine-headed being turned to Maze, a pleased expression on his face, which sent her heart pounding in double time.  He shot an amused glance at the fallen angel struggling to his feet and smirked before turning back to her.  The demon felt her face flush under his hungry gaze.  Focusing all of his attention on her, he reached out and pulled back the hood from her face, then fingered her hair. “You are lovely.  Your name is Maze?”

She nodded breathlessly.  “That’s what everyone calls me, but my name is Mazikeen.”

“Mazikeen.  A beautiful name for a beautiful lady.”  The god looked deep into her eyes as he reached over and picked up her hand.  “I am Set -- the god of foreigners.  I’ve come to offer aid.  I can offer quite a bit of... aid.”

“Right.  Forgive me if I find this highly unlikely,” Lucifer interrupted in a loud voice as he dusted himself off.  “I do believe you’re here to shag my d-- companion.  How did you find us anyway?”

Set clenched his jaw, his voice growing cold and biting.  “I told you, I am the god of foreigners.  I could feel your presence as soon as you arrived.”

Lucifer let out a harsh laugh loaded with sarcasm.  “And of course you, being the altruistic sort, decided to track us down just to help us.”

“Lucifer!” Maze hissed.  “What the hell is wrong with you?!  You’re being rude --”

“It’s fine, Mazikeen.”  After patting her hand, Set frowned darkly at the fallen angel.  “You are a strange one.  Why are you not....”

“What?”  Suddenly still like a fox sensing danger, Lucifer cocked his head.  “Why am I not what?”

A heavy silence descended between the angel and the god until Set snorted and turned to Maze.  “Tell me, why are you here?  I can be of great assistance to you.”

“We can do without your help, thank you very much,” the Devil snapped.  “Let’s go, Maze.”

As Set stared deep into the demon’s eyes, she found herself saying, “We’re looking for Ta-Bitjet.”

_ “Maze!” _

“Ta-Bitjet?”  Set’s eyes widened.

“Do you know where she is?” she asked hopefully.  Perhaps they could get the antidote for Chloe even faster than anticipated....

Set’s eyes grew sympathetic.  “Alas, I do not, but I do know of one who does.”  He smiled broadly as he tucked the demon’s hand in the crook of his arm.  “Come with me, Mazikeen.”  He tossed a glance over his shoulder at the Devil behind them.  “Follow us, blind man.”

Dazzled by the grin Set sent her way, Maze felt warmth down to her toes as she walked beside him.  A small part of her brain screamed at her not to abandon her companion, but as she gazed up at the god beside her, all of her worries slipped away.  Lucifer was forgotten.

 

 

________________________________________

  
  


 

Feeling his way along the cool rocky walls, Lucifer struggled to follow his demon and that... that smarmy god.  

He really didn’t like that snake oil salesman.  Something about the tone of the god’s voice set the fallen angel’s teeth on edge.  When Set had approached him, Lucifer had smelled raw, unadulterated power pouring off of him like a thick cologne.  The sickening stench of incense had given the fallen angel a pounding headache which, coupled with the pain his eyes were giving him, was pure agony.  And yet he couldn’t figure out what kind of ability that power was augmenting.  It bothered him like an itch he couldn’t scratch -- like his wings, actually.  

Pausing for a moment, he rubbed his back against the wall in an effort to relieve the irritation the sand was causing in his wings.  It hardly fixed the problem, but at least it took his mind off of Maze.  

His insides churned as he thought of how quickly his demon had abandoned him.  Was she disappointed that he could no longer accomplish his mission on his own?  Had his blindness diminished him in her eyes?  Or was this the doing of that bloody wanker whom he did not trust?  He just didn’t know.

“What do you think?” Lucifer asked the light that was perched on his shoulder.  He had placed it there so that Maze would be able to find him -- if she even bothered to come looking for him.

The little star danced happily, completely oblivious to the fallen angel’s sudden insecurities.  

Lucifer snorted.  “Some help  _ you _ are.” 

Well, he’d just have to figure out a way to find Ta-Bitjet without his trusty demon and get that antidote.  Being sightless would pose a serious obstacle, but he had to find the goddess -- failure was not an option.  Chloe was depending on him.

_ Chloe.... _

He squeezed his eyes shut behind the bandage, then cried out at the stabbing pain it caused.  Bloody hell, how was he ever going to save her life if he couldn’t even walk without tripping?  The image of her wan face hovered in his thoughts, her eyes bright with hope.  He couldn’t bear the thought of her disappointment in him if he failed, not to mention the horror of having to live without her.  He’d die without her, plain and simple.

He took a deep breath.  No, it was best to just keep moving and carry out his mission -- somehow.  He’d save her or die trying.

Time seemed to stretch out ad infinitum as he struggled to keep up with Set and Maze.  Rocks reached out and grabbed him, tripping him constantly.  With every fall he found himself with his face full of dirt, the grittiness coating the inside of his mouth.  The fine particles of earth burned his nose, while the earthy smell of the dry soil clung to him and filled his lungs.  Dirt coated his hands with a dusty film, and the texture of the tunnel walls poked and jabbed at his hands as he felt his way forward.  Pain shot through his heart as strange feelings of emptiness filled him.  If only Maze had stayed by him....

He could hear the couple far ahead, their laughter echoing around him, taunting him in his solitude.  Every once in a while he caught a few words as they flirted with each other, which the fallen angel found repulsive.  His demon had never acted like a starstruck teenager before, and it was so completely out of character for her that he wondered if she hadn’t hit her head when they’d landed in the desert.

“Bloody hell,” he muttered as he landed face first in the dirt once again.  As he lay there, giving himself the luxury of a few seconds of self pity, he heard approaching footsteps crunching against the earth.  He lifted his head, turning in the direction of the sound.  “Maze?”

Strong hands hauled him to his feet.  “You are absolutely pathetic,” his demon snapped, contempt lacing her voice.  “Why can’t you keep up?”

Heat rushed up Lucifer’s neck and into his cheeks.  She made it sound like he was dallying about like a recalcitrant schoolboy!  “Maybe it has something to do with the fact that I’m  _ blind?” _

She snorted as her hand tightened on his arm.  Walking very fast through the tunnel, she dragged him along.  “I can’t believe you sometimes.”

“And I can’t believe you!”  The fallen angel dug in his heels and forced them to a halt.  “Bloody hell _ ,  _ what is  _ wrong _ with you?  You’ve been acting oddly ever since we ran into that god.  For goodness’ sake, Maze, remember who you are!  You’re no simpering miss --”

_ “Don’t _ tell me what I am or am not!”  Her tone dropped down to an angry hiss.  “You’re just jealous.  You never could stand to see me happy.”

His lungs constricted, strangling his breath as he reeled from the unfair accusation.  “That’s not true.”

“Isn’t it?”  A sharp shove to his shoulder knocked him back a step.  “You brought me to Earth even though I never wanted to go.  You left me to languish as a bartender while you lived it up with your women, then went to play detective with your little human --”

The blood drained from Lucifer’s face as her words hit him like physical blows.  “I thought you enjoyed the sex and nightlife as much as I did --”

Her hands grabbed his robe and yanked him forward.  He could feel the heat from her body, her breath huffing against his skin, as she snarled into his face.  “You selfish son of a bitch!  Did you ever once --  _ once _ \-- think about me, about what I wanted?  No -- it’s always been all about  _ you.” _  Contempt dripped from her voice as she spit out the last word.

The fallen angel tried to swallow past the sudden knot in his throat.  “I... I never realized --”

“That’s just the thing -- you  _ never _ realize!  You just do your own thing, and to hell with everyone else!  Well, now  _ I’m _ realizing that you’re not worth following.  Set is the one for me, not you -- not even Amenadiel compares to Set.”

Stunned, Lucifer stood before her, his mouth slack as shame filled him and stabbed at his heart.  So... not only had he shattered Chloe’s life, he had ruined Maze’s, as well.  Apparently he knew nothing except how to destroy.

A sharp, disagreeable taste filled his mouth, as if he had eaten a bitter melon.  He had been fooling himself all this time, trying to be something he wasn’t.  He wasn’t fit to have friends and family, to experience happiness.  Dad had known exactly what he was when he had named him all those years ago.  Samael -- God’s Poison.  A punisher.  A destroyer.  The Left Hand of God.

The urge to laugh overcame him, but he bit his lower lip until it bled.  Now was not the time to wallow in his anguish and self-loathing -- he could do that later, after Chloe was well.  Instead he took refuge in anger.  Maze didn’t want to be with him?   _ Fine. _  So be it.  His face grew hot as blood pumped madly through his body and he nodded, an ugly smile curving his lips.  “Right.  You want to have a shag with that... that Lothario?  Then have sex with him and be done with it!  No one is stopping you, least of all me.  You’re free to do whatever you want, Maze -- you always have been.  But let’s not forget why we’re here, shall we?  You were the one who wanted to help me cure Chloe, remember?  After we get the antidote you can do whatever you want.  I don’t care anymore.”

Silence fell between them, thick and full of tension.  Lucifer turned away from her -- well, at least he thought he did.  It was hard to tell in his current state.  Tapping into the fallen angel’s emotions, the little star on his shoulder spat angrily.

“L-Lucifer....”  

“What?” he snapped.

“I... why are we --”  She suddenly sounded hesitant, disoriented.  

The fallen angel turned, a spark of hope taking hold of his insides.  “Yes, Maze...?”

“Mazikeen!  You took so long -- I was worried about you!”

At the sound of Set’s exclamation, Lucifer’s mouth tightened and he crossed his arms in front of his chest.  Bloody god....

“I... I....”  Confusion was evident in her voice.  “I was just....”

“We are almost there,” the god said, his voice getting louder as his footsteps drew closer.  Set’s warm tones grated on the fallen angel’s nerves, and Lucifer struggled not to throw up from the overwhelming stench of incense filling the air.  “Come with me, my lady.”

“Oh yes, Set.”  Maze’s captivated tone annoyed Lucifer to no end, and he clenched his jaw.  

“Bring the blind man.  Come!”  

Lucifer felt Maze’s arm grip his bicep hard as she tugged him forward.  They walked together, this time in silence, for what felt like forever until he felt a hot breeze touch his face.  After the long stint in the caverns, the fresh air was a blessed relief.  The sound of various voices came at him from all sides, overwhelming him.  His insides tightened, squeezing his heart as he struggled to orient himself.  If only he could see...!  The taste of dust touched his tongue as he licked his dry lips.  Lifting his nose to the air, he caught the waft of so many things at the same time -- the damp smell of earth, grilled meats, baking bread, and more incense.  

“Behold!” Set announced.  “Welcome to the Valley of the Gods!”

 

 


	14. Sekhmet

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A big thank you to my excellent beta, ScooterThyme!

 

 

Maze’s eyes grew wide with awe as they walked out of the mountain cave into a huge valley filled with massive stone structures.  She had never seen such a sight in all of her life.  The limestone walls of the buildings were decorated with carvings and colorful inlaid semiprecious stones.  As if guarding the city, giant gold sculptures stood between towering columns that lined the main road.  Flames licked out from large braziers at the base of each sculpture, illuminating the statues in a reddish orange hue.

Egyptian gods of all shapes and sizes went about their business, each one of them a work of art, glimmering like polished gold in the flickering light.  Deep blue strands of lapis lazuli crowned their heads.  They wore simple linen shifts, but the amount of jewelry varied, from a simple bracelet to ornate headwear, thick gold belts and wide colorful necklaces.

The demon cast her eyes skyward.  Her internal clock told her that it was morning, but the sky remained as black as night.  She could see the storm raging above the valley, but it was almost as if a giant sheet of glass had been pulled over the entire area.  The city remained untouched and the inhabitants safe from the fierce wind and the damaging sands.  Despite the temperature being almost as hot as Hell, the dry air was fresh -- it seemed almost paradoxical.

“Maze, what do you see?” she heard Lucifer ask, but she ignored him and turned to Set instead.

“It’s... it’s amazing.”

The god smiled down at her, his silver canine teeth glinting in the flickering light.  As he thumped his staff on the ground, the violet light faded from it.  “I’m glad you like it.”

“How is the city protected from the storms?”

“Ah... that.”  Set blew on his knuckles, then rubbed them against his chest.  His eyes glowed with pride.  “Well, that’s something I arranged, actually.”

“You?”  Maze moistened her lips as her heartbeat quickened.  “You are protecting the city?”

“You could say that.”

“Wow.”  Her excited eyes glanced around once again as she reached out to touch his very strong, very warm bicep.  “It’s amazing.”

Set eyed her hand on his arm, then smiled warmly as he looked back at her.  “Why, thank you.”

“Right.  If we could please stop with the Set Admiration Society for one moment, can someone tell me what is going on?” Lucifer interrupted as he stepped forward, knocking into Maze from behind.

Hissing through her teeth, she glared at him.  Why was he being such a pain?  “You heard Set -- we’re in the Valley of the Gods.”

“Well, yes, I figured out _ that _ much.  What do you  _ see?” _  the Devil asked bitingly as he reached up for the little star, now very dim, and hid it in his sleeve.

Set suddenly laughed.  “Forgive, friend.  I forgot about your... unfortunate handicap.”

Maze could feel the Devil bristling beside her, which only set her teeth on edge.  Set was being a perfect gentleman -- why couldn’t Lucifer stop being a jealous prick and behave himself?  She had no idea how Chloe could stand him.

“I was blinded by the sight of your beautiful companion,” the god continued as he took Maze’s hand and kissed the back of it.  Giggling, she felt the blood rush into her cheeks at his words.  When she glanced at Lucifer, she was surprised to see him looking surprisingly ill, like he was about to vomit.

Set seemed completely oblivious to her companion’s bad manners as he began to lead Maze down the road. “Come.  Let us go to the palace.  We must see She Who Mauls and notify her of your arrival.”

“She Who Mauls?”  Maze grinned.  “Sounds like my kind of woman.”

The god laughed.  “You are a delight, Mazikeen.  Not many say that about Sekhmet.”

“Sekhmet?” Lucifer asked as he stumbled after them.  “Does she know Ta-Bitjet?”

The god smiled.  “Oh yes, very well.”

When the fallen angel fell too far behind, Maze let out a pent-up breath and rolled her eyes.  “Excuse me,” she said sweetly to Set before storming over to her companion.  Grabbing his arm, she yanked him forward.   _ “What _ is your problem?”

“What’s yours?” he snapped back as he pulled his arm out of her grasp.  “In case you’ve forgotten, I’m blind.  I’m doing the best I can --”

“Yeah, well, it’s not good enough.  Keep up with me.”  When she started to drag him along, he resisted until she turned back to him again.   _ “What?!” _

“Maze, listen to me. It’s obvious he has you under some sort of spell --”

“If you mean a spell of caring and love, then yes, he does, you ass,” she snarled.  “It’s not anything  _ you _ ever gave me.”

When he bit his lip, looking hurt, a sharp pain struck her heart.  This was  _ Lucifer _ \-- why was she suddenly so intent on hurting him?  Frowning, she shook her head, and tried to see through the cobwebs in her brain.  Her voice softened.  “Lucifer --”

“Mazikeen!”  Set walked up to her side and touched her arm.  Heat spiraled in her belly and all thoughts of the Devil flew right out of her head.

“Set....” she said breathlessly.

“Come, it’s not far now.”  The god smirked at the fallen angel, who looked lost and alone.  “Follow us, blind man.”

Maze’s breath caught at the splendor of precious jewels decorating everything before her as they climbed a number of stairs into a huge palace.  The sight was almost blinding.  She heard Lucifer curse as he tripped over the steps, but somehow it didn’t seem important enough for her to turn around.  With her arm tucked in Set’s elbow, she could only stare up at his handsome features and sigh.

As they walked, Set lowered his voice for her ears alone.  “I have never met a woman like you, Mazikeen.  I intend to make you mine.  You will be my queen.”

Butterflies fluttered in her stomach.  Heat rushed into her cheeks as desire uncoiled within her.  She couldn’t contain the joy sweeping through every inch of her body.

When they sauntered through the tall gold doors, Maze faltered at the sight of the many people in the throne room, apparently there to talk to the goddess sitting on the dais.  At their entrance, a collective gasp filled the air, and the occupants parted, leaving a clear pathway straight to the throne.

Swallowing past the lump in her throat, the demon lifted her chin and tightened her grip on Set’s arm.  Even with the entire room between them, she could feel the hate and venom pouring off the goddess, filling the air with a poisonous miasma.  The god seemed oblivious as he reached behind her to grab Lucifer by the arm.

“My Lady Sekhmet!” Set greeted cheerfully as he pulled them both forward.  “I bring you visitors!”

As they halted before her, the goddess looked at Lucifer first, then turned her gaze to the demon.  Her blood red eyes burned with so much hatred that Maze took an involuntary step back.  Although Sekhmet’s body was that of a beautiful woman clothed in delicate, ornately detailed linen raiments and accented with thick bands of jewels wreathing her neck, arms and waist, she had the head of a lioness -- fierce and angry.  Her fangs glistened in the flickering light cast by the braziers lining the walls of the palace -- large, vicious teeth that could no doubt tear to shreds anything or anyone she decided to bite.  As those blood red eyes took stock of her, Maze found that she could not hold her gaze.  Dropping her eyes to the ground, the demon was surprised to find herself more frightened than she ever had been in her entire life.

“Visitors?” the goddess growled.  She turned to Lucifer first and took a large sniff of the air.  “He reeks of Yahweh.”

“Yes.  I believe he is his son,” Set said, although Maze wasn’t sure how he had known that.  Perhaps he could smell the angel in him...?

Sekhmet turned to her next, and took a deep breath.  “But this one does not.”

“No.”  The god waved at Lucifer.  “The blind man seeks Ta-Bitjet.”

The room around them exploded in gasps and mutters from the gods and goddesses surrounding them.  Maze inhaled sharply at the sudden menace in the air as the goddess lifted an eyebrow.  “Indeed?”

“Yes.”

“Is this true, blind man?” she asked Lucifer.

He turned in her direction.  “I am looking for Ta-Bitjet, yes.  She has something I seek.”

For a long moment the lioness was silent before turning to Set.  “You have done well.  What do you wish for a reward?”

The canine god glanced down at the demon, his eyes warm.  “I want this one.”

The lioness waved her hand dismissively.  “She is of no import to me.  You may have her.  This one, though....”  She grinned, showing off her vicious set of teeth.  “This one is mine.”

“Might I make a suggestion?” Set asked.  “Perhaps Ammit...?”

She turned to him, her eyes glittering.  “A fine idea.  We shall see.  You may leave.”

Set bowed deeply.  “Thank you, my lady.”  Gripping the demon’s arm, he started to lead her away.  “Come, Mazikeen.”

She hesitated, a part of her screaming in resistance, telling her she should not leave her companion.  “But.. what will happen to Lucifer?”

Looking deep into her eyes, the god smiled.  “There is no need to worry about the blind man.  He is now Sekhmet’s guest.  Come with me -- a fine bath and beautiful raiments await you.”

The musky smell of incense grew stronger as she stared up at him, unable to tear away from his gaze.  Her brain rebelled, struggling to escape the murky coils reaching up and tying her down, but as Set caressed her cheek, all resistance left her.  With a trusting smile, she linked her arm with his and went where he led.

 

 

________________________________________

 

 

Lucifer stood still as he heard Maze leave him.  He would have called out, but what was the use?  Maze had changed ever since she had met Set, and there was nothing he could do about that.  The demon was free to do as she liked.  His heart tightened in his chest because of her choices, but he ignored the pain.  Instead he stood straight and tall and wished more than anything that he had his sight back.

“So, you want Ta-Bitjet.”  The goddess’s voice was husky and deep.  “May I ask why?”

“I need her help.”  He tried not to sound too anxious.  “Do you know where I can find her?”

A soft laugh escaped her, low and threatening.  “Yes, I do.”

The fallen angel heard gasps around him as the sound of rustling fabric filled the quiet hall.  He would have raised his eyebrows if his head hadn’t ached so badly.  Obviously something unusual was happening.  Frowning, he concentrated on the sounds around him.  The most prevalent thing he heard in the quiet hall was the swish of a dress -- he had been around enough ladies in evening gowns to recognize that -- and it was getting closer.  Sekhmet’s body heat emanated from a spot before him as the smell of incense filled the air -- earthy and slightly bitter, almost like black licorice.

“You... you are not afraid of me.”  the goddess sounded surprised, puzzled... and fascinated.  Lucifer wondered why.

Pulling up the old devilish charm, he grinned at her.  “I’m never afraid of a beautiful woman -- or goddess, in this case.”

Her hand touched his cheek, then ran down the side of his jaw to rest against his neck in a light grip.  “You should be.”

Pain flared where she touched him, burning him like fire.  Maybe it  _ was  _ fire -- tendrils of smoke filled with the acrid stench of burning flesh had him gagging as blistering heat wrapped around his neck.  Grabbing her hand, he desperately tried to pry her grip away, but couldn’t.  Lucifer blinked in surprise as the fury he felt toward Penelope rose to the front of his mind.  Choking, he fell to the ground when Sekhmet released him.

“You are like me.”  He could hear the smile, the pleasure, in her voice as he coughed.  “Someone has done you a great wrong, and you burn with vengeance... hatred.  So much hatred.”  She took a deep breath.  “It burns as bright as a beacon, and is as intoxicating as the finest wine.  I have never met anyone before with so much fire.  It’s quite... refreshing.”

He felt, more than heard, her bend down to lean close to his ear.  “Let your hatred out.  Let it burn you -- consume you.  Forget the scorpion goddess.  Agree to be my consort, son of Yahweh, and I will make you a god.”

Holding onto the love he had for his wife like a talisman, he rasped, “I... c-can’t.  I... need... Ta-Bitjet.”  His neck ached where the goddess had touched him, the inside raw, as if he’d had a torch thrust down his throat.

A low growl escaped her before she said through gritted teeth, “I suggest you rethink your position.”  After shoving him backward onto the floor, Lucifer heard her straighten.  “Guards!  Take him to the dungeon.”

The tromping of heavy footsteps quickly surrounded him.  Lucifer’s heart quickened as his entire body tightened like a coiled spring.  There was no way he was going to languish in some dungeon while Chloe’s life was at stake!  When he felt the first grip of a hand on his clothes, he struck out in that direction, knocking someone down.  Scrambling to his feet, he shoved his way past his downed opponent, but tripped on him and sprawled to his hands and knees.  More footsteps raced toward him. As he struggled to his feet, disoriented and not sure which way to run, pain exploded at the back of his head.  The world faded to black.

  
  
  
  



	15. Penelope's Return Visit

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A big thank you to my wonderful beta, ScooterThyme! You rock!

 

 

Penelope rode the elevator up to the penthouse, her eyes watching the display of the floor level over the doors.  As the number increased, bringing her closer and closer to her destination, her heart fluttered in her chest like a bird struggling to escape a cage.

The night before she had tossed and turned in her bed, continuously replaying the day’s events in her mind until she thought she would go insane.  Worry for Chloe had finally won out over her fear of the Devil, so she geared herself up for a big fight.  Timing her arrival so that Trixie would be in school, she went to the penthouse to see her baby girl.  Her daughter needed her, and no one was going to keep her away -- not even the Devil himself!  Clutching her purse close to her, Penelope took comfort in what lay inside -- the handgun that her husband had given her so many years ago.  It probably wouldn’t work on Lucifer, but maybe it would be enough to make him see that she meant business.

As the elevator slowed to a stop, the blood drained from her face.  Fiddling with her purse strap, she jumped when the doors quietly slid open.  Taking a deep breath, she gingerly stepped out of the car and into the penthouse.  Her insides tightened as she prepared for an all-out attack from Lucifer.

But no angry Devil intercepted her.  The place was silent, except for quiet whispers coming from the master bedroom.  She blinked, surprised.  Where was Lucifer?  The quick stride of footsteps from behind had her jumping.  Whirling around, she saw someone stop short of her, someone whom she did not recognize: a beautiful woman holding a cup in her hands.  Her hair was as black as a raven’s wing, and she wore a sad, somber expression on her pale, tired face.

The woman’s eyebrows went up.  “May I help you?”

Penelope stiffened her spine.  “I’ve come to see my daughter.  I’m Chloe’s mother.”

“Ah.”

The older woman didn’t know what the stranger meant by that -- it could have meant a million things -- and it filled her with unease.  What had Lucifer told the woman?  Would she bar her from seeing Chloe?  If the Devil thought that a stranger would stop her, he had another thing coming!

But instead of arguing or showing her the elevator, the woman graciously bowed her head and led Penelope to the master bedroom.  When they reached the doorway, the woman announced, “Chloe’s mother is here.”

Penelope’s heart stopped for an instant as her daughter turned toward her, looking wan, frail, and definitely worse for wear.  Baby Emrys lay asleep next to her, and beside her in a chair sat Rafe.  She blinked, recalling that he had been with Chloe the day before.  She wasn’t sure why he was still there, but it couldn’t be for any good purpose, if he was in league with the Devil.  Was he a demon?

Swallowing hard, she squared her shoulders and marched in, buoyed by the sight of her daughter’s smile as she approached.  Taking a seat on the bed next to Chloe, she reached out and grasped her hand.  “Hello, pumpkin.  How are you feeling?”

The bedridden woman chuckled weakly.  “I’ve felt better.”

“I’ll take Emrys to the nursery,” Rafe said quietly.  Rising from his seat, he gently picked up the baby and slipped from the room.

Penelope watched him go, shuddering at the sight of the winged child, before turning back to her daughter.  “We have to get you to a hospital.  You can’t stay here.”

Chloe squeezed her hand.  “Like I told you yesterday, I’m getting far better care here than in a hospital.”

The older woman sniffed disdainfully.  “Here?  There are no doctors --”

“Rafe and Sachi are helping me.”

Puzzled, Penelope’s eyebrows drew down.  “Why aren’t you listening to me?  This isn’t a simple cold!  You look awful.”

A strangled laugh escaped Chloe.  “I know how bad I look.”  Her eyes grew serious as she clutched her mother’s hand.  “Mom, look... the truth is that I’ve been poisoned.”

More than grateful for her acting background, Penelope gasped and feigned surprise.  “Poisoned?”

The younger woman nodded.  “Uh-huh.  The doctors at the hospital wouldn’t be able to do anything for me, even if I did go, but don’t worry.  Lucifer’s gone to fetch an antidote.”

“Lucifer?  Ha!”  Scorn filled the actress’s eyes as she snorted.  “He’s probably gone to find something to finish you off.”

“He wouldn’t.  Lucifer is a good man, Mom.  I know you don’t believe it, but he is.  I wish you could see him through my eyes.  You’d see he’s the kindest, most gentle --”

“Don’t be ridiculous.”  A wave of nausea swept over Penelope.  Her daughter’s description of the Devil turned her stomach -- obviously Chloe was suffering from a massive case of brainwashing.  Pulling up as much patience as she could, the older woman spoke slowly and clearly.  “He’s the  _ Devil, _ pumpkin.  The root of all evil.”

“He isn’t.  He’s just misunderstood.”

“He probably ran off and is waiting for you to die.”

“He isn’t.”  Chloe frowned and squeezed her mother’s fingers.  “He loves me, Mom.  Why can’t you see that?  Lucifer is honorable -- if he says he’s going to get an antidote, then that’s what he’s gone to do.  I have faith in him.”

Slipping her hand from her daughter’s grasp, the older woman glanced out the window, her lips pulled back in a disapproving frown.  “Why won’t you see reason?”

“Why won’t  _ you?” _

Penelope gaped at her daughter, shocked at how hard her eyes looked.  They glittered like aqua diamonds in her pale face.  The older woman knew that stubborn expression -- it was the same one Chloe had worn when she told her that she was going into the police academy.  It meant she was not going to listen to her anymore.  Sighing, the older woman patted her hand.  “We’ll just have to agree to disagree about your... husband.”  She choked on the word.

Chloe closed her eyes.  “He’s not bad, Mom.  If you would just get past your misconceptions, you’d see he’s a good man.”

“Mrs. Decker?”

Penelope turned to see the dark-haired woman standing at the doorway, a cup in her hand.  “What?”

“Chloe needs to take some... medication, then rest.”

Giving her daughter’s hand one final squeeze, the actress stood up.  Lifting her chin high, she sailed from the room.  Why was Chloe being so hardheaded about this?  It made absolutely no sense.  As she headed for the elevator, a voice stopped her.

“Penelope.”

Turning, she saw Rafe rising from one of the armchairs to walk up to her.  As he approached, she was surprised to see how gray his complexion was -- he looked almost as bad as her daughter.  Her heart squeezed with pity at the sight, but she quickly shrugged off the feeling.  The man in front of her was in league with the Devil, and therefore had to be up to no good.

Her voice was harsh as she looked at him with narrowed eyes.  “What is it?”

“Can we talk a moment?”  At her hesitation, he added with a gesture toward the couch, “Please.”

Her gut instinct told her to get out of the penthouse as fast as possible and away from this hotbed of demons, but pride had her standing tall and facing the threat.  She was Penelope Decker, and she’d be damned if she ran like a dog with its tail tucked between its legs!  Besides, she still had her gun.  Her hands clutched the heavy handbag closer to her.  If he tried anything, she’d shoot him.

Pleased with her decision, she walked past Rafe with a graceful nod to perch on the edge of the cushions.

The tall man sat adjacent to her on the lounge portion of the couch and studied her for a long moment.  Finally, he took a deep breath.  “Penelope, I know you don’t have a high opinion of Lucifer --”

“Of course I don’t.  Who does?”  She glared at him.  “Are you one of those demons of his?”

Shock rippled across his face.  “Of course not!  I’m his brother.”

“So you’re the Devil’s brother -- which must make you some sort of demon.”

“Not a demon.”  He cocked his head at her.  “You  _ do _ know he is a fallen angel...?”

Penelope furrowed her brows.  “What does that have to do with anything?”

His voice was gentle and patient.  “Even though he Fell, he’s an angel -- and I’m his brother.  I’m an angel, Penelope -- a healer, not a demon.”

She eyed him with suspicion.  “You fell with him then.”

“No.”

“Then how can you be here, helping him?”  She flung her hands up around her.  “You’re an angel!  He’s the Devil!  Shouldn’t you be smiting him or something?  Shackling him in chains and throwing him back into Hell?”

Rafe looked at her with something akin to pity in his eyes.  “You know nothing about Lucifer, do you?”

Penelope turned her head sharply away.  “He’s the Devil.  What else is there to know?”

The angel ran a hand through his hair, then closed his eyes for a moment before opening them and pinning her with his intense gaze.  “I used to believe as you did -- that he was evil, a troublemaker, a bad guy all around.  But Lucifer isn’t like that, especially now that he’s met your daughter.  He’s changed.  He was always a selfish ass, but Chloe has done wonders for him.

“You may not know this, Penelope, but my father manipulated and abused him.  He’s nothing like the pictures humanity has painted of him.  Yes, he punishes evildoers, but he’s not a bad sort.  He has a heart, and he loves your daughter.”

The actress sniffed.  “I highly doubt that.  He’s brought her nothing but trouble since the start.”

Rafe sighed.  “I admit that trouble keeps turning up around Lucifer like a bad penny.  Some of my brothers hate him for what has happened in the past, and that may never change.  But just because he carries with him a certain amount of baggage doesn’t change the fact that I’ve seen him mature and grow.  He loves your daughter -- loves her more than anything in existence -- and he would do anything to keep her safe and happy.”

A frisson of unease wound its way through Penelope’s insides at Rafe’s words.  Had she been mistaken about Lucifer?  She had liked him once, long ago, before the accident that had almost claimed Chloe’s life....

Giving herself a hard shake, she tried to clear away those more charitable memories.  What was she  _ thinking? _  He was the Devil!

She wasn’t aware that she had spoken aloud until Rafe snapped, “No, he’s not.”  The angel clenched his teeth and waved at the living room window jerkily.  “Right now my brother is out there, doing everything he can to get Chloe well.  He’s risking life and limb -- who knows what he’s facing at this very instant?  He entrusted Sachi and me to keep your daughter alive until he comes back with an antidote.  I’ve never seen Lucifer afraid of anything, but I can tell you this -- he’s scared to death that she’s going to die.  Surely you can see how much she means to him?”

Penelope crossed and uncrossed her legs as she shivered.  No, no, Rafe had to be wrong.  Lucifer didn’t care for her daughter.  He was the Devil and cared for no one. He only wanted to ruin Chloe... didn’t he?

“Doesn’t the fact that he didn’t tell Chloe about who tried to poison him mean anything to you?” Rafe asked.  As she jerked in surprise, he nodded.  “Oh yes -- I know you were the one who spiked his drink, but Lucifer made me promise not to tell Chloe because he didn’t want to hurt her.  He could have easily told her that you were the one who tried to kill him.  Just like that, he could have turned her against you -- but he didn’t.  Instead he thought about what would be best for  _ her. _  If that doesn’t tell you something about him, then nothing will.”

Pausing, the angel sighed heavily and rubbed his forehead.  When he spoke again, his voice was gentle.  “Look, I know you’re frightened.  You think he’s the Devil, and I curse Father for letting all those lies about him fester and grow, but he would never hurt you for the sole reason that you are Chloe’s mother.  And besides, he’s not the one who poisoned your daughter.  You must realize that you are the one to blame for Chloe’s condition.”

Heat filled her cheeks at the accusation.  “I am not!  I would never harm my own daughter!”

“No... but you did bring that poison here.  Even though you never intended for Chloe to drink it, the truth is that it would have never been here, had it not been for you.  Lucifer didn’t harm your daughter -- you did.  Don’t blame others for your own actions.”

Penelope’s face drained of blood as the room spun around her.  “You’re wrong....”

He lifted an eyebrow at her.  “Am I?  Open your eyes.  See the truth.”

She shook her head furiously as her mouth went dry.  “No....”

Rafe said nothing, merely continued looking at her.

At his piercing stare, Penelope’s stomach roiled as her insides went cold.  Looking deep into herself, she realized that the angel was right.  She had let fear dictate her actions -- actions she would have never done, had she been thinking clearly.  Oh god, she  _ was _ to blame for Chloe being poisoned!  She had refused to admit it to herself, had told herself that what she had done was for the good of humanity, but Rafe’s plain words were like the truth slapping her in the face.  She had killed her own daughter -- her own baby girl.  Oh dear lord....

Clutching the angel’s hand, she asked frantically, “You can save her, can’t you?”

“I’m sorry, no --”

“Please -- you must!”  Her eyes rolled frantically as she shook him.  “Take my life instead.  Chloe’s all that’s good in this world, and she doesn’t deserve it.  Take me --”

The angel shook his head.  “I can’t -- I’m sorry.  The best I can do is keep her alive until Lucifer returns.”  He reached out and patted her hand.  “Rest easy, Penelope, and trust Lucifer.  If anyone can save her, it’s him.”

Rafe rose and walked to the master bedroom where Chloe lay, leaving Penelope reeling and frightened on the couch.  What had she done?  Good lord above,  _ what had she done?! _

For the first time in her life, the older woman prayed to the Devil.  “Help her, Lucifer.  Please... help her.”

  
  



	16. Shait

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A big thank you to my wonderful beta, ScooterThyme! :)

 

 

Lucifer sat on the floor in the prison with his back leaning up against the rough stone wall, and rubbed the painful lump at the back of his head.  _  Charming. _  Here he was, stuck in a prison cell, while his Chloe’s life slowly slipped away.  He would have thrown things, had there been anything to throw.  As it was, he had to be content just fuming in a corner with his injured eyes, his aching head, and so much sand stuck between his damned feathers that he thought he’d go insane from the burning and itching.

The little star danced on his shoulder, illuminating his prison -- or at least he thought it did.  He could feel it drawing a tiny thread of power, and wished with all his might that his eyes could see.  Although things seemed at their bleakest, the little spark of energy gave him hope, reminding him that he was not alone.  He’d find a way out of here, somehow.  He had to.  Chloe’s life depended on it.  He just had to think of a plan....

The rattle of keys broke him out of his thoughts, but he didn’t bother to look up.  What was the point?  They would tell him what they wanted soon enough.  No chance it could have been Maze....  He pursed his lips.  He highly doubted that she would have been able to tear herself away from Set.  He absently ran his hand over his neck, where Sekhmet had touched him.  The horrible pain had faded to a dull ache, and his throat seemed better.  That was one relief, at least.

When the door creaked open, shuffling footsteps entered the cell, then the door slammed shut.  The soft bouquet of woody, warm and slightly medicinal incense wafted in the air.  Lucifer would have rolled his eyes if he could have.   _ Wonderful. _  Just what he needed -- a god.  At least it wasn’t Set or Sekhmet -- the scent was different.  This was someone new.

“Ah, blessed light,” a woman’s soft voice, thin and breathy, said.  “As bright as the sun which we all so desperately miss.”

Shifting his back against the wall to relieve the itching, Lucifer ignored his visitor.  He felt the little star hide behind his neck, tucking itself in the short hair at his nape as it peeked out at the newcomer.

“What is wrong with your flame?  It grows dim.”

He shrugged.  “It’s shy.”

The woman was silent.  Lucifer could feel her eyes upon him, sizing him up.  “I knew you’d come,” she finally said.

Lucifer turned toward her and lifted an eyebrow, wincing as pain shot through his head. “Did you, now?  Because up until several hours ago, I had no idea this place even existed.  Who are you?”

“I am Shait, Goddess of Fate.  We have been awaiting your arrival for centuries.”

Letting out a wry chuckle, he leaned his head back against the wall.  “Right.  You must have me mistaken for someone else.”

Fabric swished next to his side, making him jump, and then her voice hissed in his ear with an almost sinister cadence.  “I have  _ seen _ you.”

Her emphasis on the word “seen” was strange, but Lucifer shrugged it off.  His mouth twisted bitterly as he leaned away from the goddess.  “Seen me what?  Naked?”  He snorted and longed for a very large tumbler of Scotch.  “Well, that’s far more than I can say at the moment.  I take it this isn’t purely a social call.  What is it you desire?”

“Freedom.”

“Freedom?”  A harsh laugh burst out of him.  “If you haven’t noticed,  _ I’m _ the one in a prison cell.”

“A temporary inconvenience.”  The voice drew ever closer, sending chills down Lucifer’s spine.  “You will fulfill your destiny.”

“My destiny?”  The fallen angel snorted.  “My destiny is to find Ta-Bitjet and get the antidote to save my wife.  That is all.  I don’t know about your problems and I don’t care --”

“You  _ will _ care if you want to find Ta-Bitjet.”  Although Shait’s voice was the epitome of calm, he could hear the threat in her tone.  “If you do not free us, you will never have that which you seek.”

“Playing hard to get, are we?”  He would have rolled his eyes, if he could have.  “Very well, I’ll bite.  Tell me, what must I do?”

“Vanquish Sekhmet.”

“Sekhmet?  That angry goddess?”  Laughter spewed out of Lucifer’s mouth, bitter and acidic.  “And how do you expect me to do that?  If you haven’t noticed already, I’m  _ blind.” _

“Yes, I know.  I told Set to blind you with his storms when you arrived.”

“What?!” The fallen angel’s mouth fell open.  Striking out, he grabbed the goddess with surprising accuracy, his fist curling around material as he yanked her close.  Spittle flew from his mouth as he snarled, “You did this to me?!”

Strong fingers closed around his wrist like steel and pried his hand away.  When Shait spoke, her voice was cool.  “It was necessary.”

The little star sputtered fiercely as Lucifer’s blood pressure skyrocketed.  A dull roaring filled the fallen angel’s ears, blocking out all sound except for his pounding heartbeat.  Heat washed over his face, his body, all the way to the tips of his fingers.  If he had been able to see, he would have wrapped his fingers around the goddess’s neck and squeezed the bloody life out of her... but he didn’t.  If he tried, he had no doubt Shait would easily dodge him and leave him sprawled on the floor.  Trying to find his voice but unable to, he finally took a deep breath and let it out slowly.  He spoke carefully through gritted teeth.  “Right.  Why don’t you tell me why you found it bloody  _ necessary _ to blind me?”

“Ah, you wish an explanation.  Hm, yes.  I believe I owe you that much.”

If he had had his sight, he would have glared at her with red eyes.  “You took away my sight, you complete and utter minger.  You owe me  _ so _ much more.”

The sound of rustling material echoed through the cell as the goddess took a seat beside Lucifer, sitting close enough for him to feel her body heat, but not close enough to touch him.  For that he was relieved, for at this moment he wasn’t sure he would be able to keep himself from attacking her.

“We must go back several centuries, to the time after the Expulsion,” the goddess said in her thready voice.

“Goodness, this isn’t going to be one of those long-winded historical accounts, is it?”  Lucifer yawned.  “Boring.”

Her cackle, loud and grating, had him shuddering.  “You’re a bold one, aren’t you?”  He yelped in pain as Shait elbowed him very hard in the ribs.  “Be quiet and listen.  We had finally settled here after losing so many of our numbers, and life was... well, not as good as on Earth, but well enough.  We had our king and our queen, Horus and Hathor, and this beautiful valley to call our own.

“But Set was not happy.  He felt he had been cheated out of the very best lands, even though he is the lord of the desert, which makes up most of this plane.  He had always hated Horus, so he plotted his downfall.  He befriended Min, the god of sexual desire, and tricked him into making Horus desire Ta-Bitjet.  When Hathor discovered that Ta-Bitjet had become Horus’s consort, she grew angry and transformed into Sekhmet -- the goddess of fire and vengeance.

“She Who Mauls locked Ta-Bitjet and Horus away, then took over the valley, ruling with fear and violence.  Seeking her favor, Set cast continual storms to cover the sun and moon, leaving us with only darkness and sand.”

“Right.  Welcome to my world,” Lucifer muttered.  Shait ignored him, continuing her narrative.

“Soon after Set and Sekhmet turned our world into darkness, I foresaw that an emissary of Horus would come to free us.  Set heard about my prophecy and demanded that I tell him how to stop it.  As if I would help him!”  She chortled, then her voice grew cunning.  “But I tricked the trickster.  I told him that I did not know what you looked like -- only that you were the son of Yahweh -- but that if he blinded all angels visiting our land, the prediction would not come true.  Since then, the god of storms, deserts and foreigners has blinded every single son of Yahweh he has come upon.”

“And have many of my siblings visited?”

“A few, yes.  They are all dead.”

_ “Lovely. _  You don’t even know for sure if I’m this emissary!  I could be another case of mistaken identity --”

“You are he,” she interrupted ruthlessly.  “I have  _ seen _ you.  I know.”

“You  _ think _ you know --”

“No.”  Her voice brooked no denial.  “I  _ know.” _

Lucifer ground his teeth.  “And you expect me to fall in with your plans and fulfill your bloody prophecy, just like that?  Like a good little soldier?”  He bit out a sarcastic laugh.  “You’re mad.”

“You will do what you were born to do.”

“Born to do,” he scoffed.  “You have no idea what I was  _ born  _ to do.”

Her voice was serene.  “I have seen all.  I know exactly what you were born to do.”

It was like arguing with a brick wall.  “Don’t you understand?  I refuse to help you!”

“Your initial reluctance was foreseen... but you will do as you are bid.”

“Why should I?!” he roared.  “You destroyed my eyes, took away my sight!”

Her hand shot out and grabbed his wrist, squeezing tightly as her voice dropped down to a whisper.  “Do you not understand?  Set does not realize how strong you are in your blindness.”

Lucifer was tempted to start pulling out his hair.  Nothing was making sense anymore.  “This is ridiculous.  How can there be strength in blindness?”

“In blindness you can see what others cannot.  Those with sight are the ones who are blind.”

His fingernails bit into his palms as he clenched his fists.  “I have no idea what that means.”  Reaching up, he pulled at the back of his neck.  “If Set is so worried about this prophecy, why didn’t he just kill me in the first place?”

“Set is clever, for he is a trickster.  He does none of his own dirty work, if he can help it.  He will get others to kill you so that he remains blameless, for even  _ he _ fears Sekhmet.  He wishes to stay on her good side.  If he can do that by offering you up as a sacrifice to Ammit, he will.”

His mouth fell open.   _ “Sacrifice?!” _

“If Sekhmet so desires, so shall it be.  Your siblings were also offerings.”

_ “Splendid.” _  He sighed gustily as he crossed his arms in front of his chest.  “Look, I have no intention of being some sacred bull for your bloody sacrifice!  Your problems have nothing to do with me.  Just leave me out of it, all right?  Take me to Ta-Bitjet -- I’ll get what I need and never bother you again.”

“Have you not heard a word I’ve said?  We have been trying to find Ta-Bitjet and Horus for centuries, with no luck.  There is no way you will get what you want unless you help us bring back Hathor.  She is the only one who knows their whereabouts.”

The fallen angel cursed.  He was being railroaded into helping Shait with her stupid prophecy against his will, and it infuriated him.  He didn’t have time for this nonsense, and yet there was no way for him to get the cure for Chloe unless he did as the goddess demanded.  Rubbing his aching forehead, he asked, “But doesn’t Sekhmet know that you think I am this... this emissary?”

“No.  There have been enough false emissaries for her and Set to lower their guard.  She Who Mauls listens to no one, nor does she care.  She thrives on her anger -- it is the only thing that matters to her.”

Lucifer dropped his chin against his chest as his little star snuggled against his neck, as if to give comfort.  Bloody hell...  This seemed like an impossible task.  He turned toward the goddess seated beside him.  “If Sekhmet listens to no one, how do you expect me to get through to her and get Hathor back?  This is ridiculous --”

“Sekhmet has already given you the key to our salvation.  All you have to do is unlock the door.”

He raised his eyebrow and said dryly, “The door.”

“Yes, the --”  Shait broke off at the sound of footsteps approaching.  He heard her rise to her feet.  “I must go.”  Footsteps scurried to the door.

His heart fluttered in his chest at her abrupt departure.  “Wait!  What do you mean by --”

“Good luck, son of Yahweh.”

Lucifer heard the cell door open, then slam shut. The smell of incense slowly faded to nothing.  He was alone once again, with no clue as to how he was supposed to vanquish Sekhmet.  Turning to his little companion skipping up and down his shoulder, he complained, “For once I would like a god to speak to me in plain English instead of in riddles!”

Dancing a happy jig, the little star ignored him.

Lucifer sighed.  He was trapped in a prison cell without a plan, without sight, and without Maze.  How could he possibly get the antidote for Chloe like this?  Running his hand over his aching face, he hoped for inspiration to strike him... quickly.

An hour later he still hadn’t come up with any ideas when the cell doors opened once again.  His stomach aflutter, Lucifer raised his head, hoping it was Shait, come to tell him more.  But when several pairs of heavy footsteps marched up and rough hands grabbed him, he knew he was out of luck.  Sharp pointed weapons poked him in his chest and back. After quickly tucking his little star in his sleeve, he raised his hands.

“No need for violence.  I know when I’m outnumbered.”  He felt himself shoved along.  “Hey, careful with the robes!  Well, dress -- my brother does love his dresses.”  When he received no response, he sighed.  “Tough crowd.  Can one of you tell me where we’re going, at least?”

No one answered him as his captors ushered him toward an unknown fate.

 

 


	17. Ceremony of Offering

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A big thank you to my wonderful beta, ScooterThyme!

 

 

As Lucifer was herded to who knew where, he pondered on Shait’s words.  If he wanted to find Ta-Bitjet, he’d have to somehow subdue Sekhmet and transform her back into Hathor... only he had no idea how to do that.  Shait seemed like an ally, only she had told Set to blind him.  Now that was hardly something an ally would do, was it?

All he wanted was the cure for Chloe.  This was supposed to be an easy task: fly in, get the antidote, return to his wife, make her well again and then they would all live happily ever after.  Well... not exactly happily ever after, since he was who he was, but far happier than him ending up as a sacrifice and Chloe dying a horrible death.

His chest tightened as he thought of his wife lying in their bed, her face pale, as her life slowly drained away.  Biting his lower lip, he struggled not to make a reckless break for freedom. That would have served no purpose -- he couldn’t bloody see where he was going!  He’d probably knock himself out by running into a wall, and then he’d be killed for sure.  No, he had to stay calm and alive.  Sekhmet had seemed interested in him.  Maybe he could use that to his advantage somehow...?

“Right. I don’t suppose any of you chaps might scratch my back for me?” Lucifer asked his captors as they pushed and shoved him along.  “And not in a quid pro quo sort of way either.  Seriously, the dust here is incredibly irritating on the skin -- and feathers.  Goodness, a moisturizing company could make a fortune here.  Don’t you people have any shea butter body cream?”

Receiving only neanderthal-like grunts which he took to mean “no,” he went back to his ruminations.  Shait had him blinded for a reason -- but how could the blind see what others couldn’t?  It made absolutely no sense.  If only Maze was at his side -- but no.  She had made it very clear where her allegiance lay.  He was on his own.

As his captors prodded him, the harsh sound of their footsteps turned soft and their gait slowed down as the ground changed from smooth stone to soft sand.  Unable to adapt fast enough, Lucifer stumbled and fell forward, only to be forced back up and shoved along.  Lifting his face skyward, the fallen angel tried to identify where they were.  The air smelled fresh and very earthy -- they were outside.  The din of voices surrounded him -- low murmurs of hundreds of people.  An arena of some kind?  His stomach churned as he was yanked to a stop and something heavy was secured to his ankle.   _ Bloody hell. _  It appeared he was to be a sacrifice, after all.

As his captors’ footfalls faded from earshot, he slowly bent down and touched the thing on his leg.  A manacle attached to a thick chain.  Normally locks were no problem for him, but this was a shackle made by a god.  Testing it, he found that he was securely fastened, and cursed under his breath.  This did not look good.

  
  


 

________________________________________

  
  


 

“I must say you look ravishing, Mazikeen.”

Maze blushed under Set’s admiring gaze.  Standing before him in a beautiful linen dress accented with a wide bejewelled necklace, tanzanite bracelets and a thick gold belt, she looked nothing like the demon that she was.  Servants had waited on her hand and foot, scrubbing her clean of grime and applying aromatic oils all over her, softening her skin.  Her hair was left loose with strands of lapis lazuli interwoven with the black strands.  Heavy kohl lined her eyes, while red ochre dyed her lips blood red and added an attractive blush to her cheeks.  Never before had Maze experienced such luxury.  She felt like a queen.

As Set circled her, looking her up and down with a hungry gaze, she said, “Thank you.”

When he stood before her once again, his eyebrows shot up.  “You still wear your knives.”

“Oh... force of habit.”  As she’d been pampered by the bevy of servants, she had been flooded with feelings of wrongness, of surrealness, which had her tucking her knives in her belt.  Fingering one of the hilts, she laughed self-consciously.  “Call it a security blanket.  This is too unbelievable.”  She waved her arm at the huge quarters she had been given, situated right next to his.  “All of this.”

Picking up her hands, Set caressed the backs of them with his thumbs before kissing them.  “You deserve it.”  He glanced down at her knives, then cocked his head at her.  “But you do know you don’t need those here...?  I can protect you.”

Something inside of her immediately rebelled at the thought of leaving her knives behind.  As she stared up into his eyes, she couldn’t understand why.  Set was handsome -- no,  _ beautiful _ \-- and he cared for her... loved her.  Then why did she feel as if she would be destroying the very essence of herself if she left them behind?  Shaking off the odd feeling, she gave the god a coy smile.  “Or  _ I _ can protect  _ you.” _

He barked out a laugh.  “You delight me, Mazikeen.  But come... leave them and let us be on our way.  We are expected at the Ceremony of Offering.”

Stalling, she asked, “What is a Ceremony of Offering?”

“Ah, a rare event.  One of our goddesses, Ammit, requires a special... offering to slake her hunger.  She is known as the Eater of Hearts, but since there are no condemned souls for her to dine on here, sometimes we must offer her something special to appease her.”

“Eater of Hearts?”  Maze grinned.  “My kind of goddess.  What kind of things do you offer her?”

Set waved his hand.  “Oh... this and that.”  He smiled warmly at her.  “But enough of that -- we will be late if we tarry.  Hand me your knives.”

As he stared deep into her eyes, the scent of him -- woody, smoky, spicy -- surrounded her.  Unable to resist his request, she slowly pulled the knives from her belt and held them out.  Grinning, he took them from her and set them on a nearby table.  Offering  his arm, he escorted her out of her quarters.

They walked down one corridor, then another and another, until Set finally led her onto a balcony overlooking a wide outdoor amphitheatre.  The arena was illuminated by numerous iron braziers, their flickering flames casting eerie shadows along the walls they lined.  All around her sat gods and goddesses in box seats, cheerfully greeting each other, as if they had come for a sporting event -- and maybe they had.  Set took her around to the gods, introducing her to them.  Their sheer beauty overwhelmed her -- she had never been exposed to so many abundantly attractive, charismatic beings in her life.  Blushing at the attention she received, she set out to be her most charming.  After an exhausting time on Set’s arm as he made the rounds to his friends, he finally escorted her to their own box seat.  He helped her onto the wide stone bench, then took a seat beside her.  He snuggled up close as he rested his arm around her waist.

Maze glanced around at all the happy faces around them.  “Everyone is so excited....”

Set smiled.  “Oh yes.  It’s a great honor to see Ammit in all her glory.”  A movement caught his eye on the field below, and he waved at the far end of the arena.  “Oh look.  Here’s the participant.”

Maze followed his gaze and squinted at the man being brought onto the field.  Even though she was far away, she could see that there was something very familiar about his walk, his posture, the proud set of his jaw as the guards shackled him to a giant metal panel bolted to the ground.   _ “Lucifer?!” _

 

 

________________________________________

 

 

Lucifer stood tall, his lip curling as he stood there like a bloody sacrificial lamb waiting for the slaughter, while the spectators looked on, hungry for blood.  And there would be blood, of that he had no doubt.  He pulled at the chain, and found it far too short for his liking.  He could fly, but no higher than ten feet.  Would that be enough to keep him alive?

A sudden hush fell over the crowd, drawing his attention to footsteps approaching him.

“Have you thought about my offer?”

Lucifer turned in the direction of the low, feminine voice as the scent of black licorice filled the air around him.  “Hello, Sekhmet.”

“I hope you have -- it would be a shame to see you die.”  Her footfalls were soft, almost inaudible as she walked in a circle around him.  A cool hand stroked his cheek.  “You are a fine specimen of a man.”

Her caress and the hunger in her voice caught him off-guard.  He wasn’t sure what he had been expecting -- more burning touches, perhaps.  Smiling, he thrust out his chest.  “Well... like what you see?  I can pirouette for you if you’d remove the shackle.”  When she snorted, he lifted an eyebrow, sending a knifing pain through his head.  “No?  Such a shame.  Right, well, killing me is not going to solve anything.  Why not let me go?  Just tell me where I can find Ta-Bitjet and you’ll never see me again.”

He cried out as her fingernails dug into his skin and raked down the plane of his face, drawing blood.  “Do  _ not _ say that name to me.”

Rearing his head back, Lucifer grabbed her wrist in a tight grip.  At his swift movement, murmurs and gasps suddenly sounded from the crowd around them.  “Now was that really necessary?”

Freezing at his touch, she snarled, “You dare to touch me?!”

He shrugged.  “In for a penny, in for a pound.”  Taking a deep breath, he decided on a different tactic.  It wasn’t one he liked, especially with Chloe waiting for him back home, but he needed to get that antidote for her.  Right.  He could do this.  He could be charming when he needed to be -- he was the Devil, after all.  “If I’m going to die, I may as well make it worth my while.”  He let his thumb stroke the inside of her wrist as he pulled up his most seductive grin.  “Why don’t you just tell me where you’ve hidden her?  Come on, Sekhmet -- you can tell me.  You know you want to.”

For a long minute there was silence.  When she tugged at her hand, he let her go.  “Why are you not afraid of me?”  Puzzlement filled her voice.  “Everyone else is.  Why not you?”

The fallen angel frowned.  It was something he wondered, himself.  His head ached as he furrowed his brow.  “I... I don’t know.”

He heard her take a step back.  When she spoke again, her voice was hard and unyielding.  “It’s obvious that you have no wish to reconsider my generous offer.  I have no choice but to sentence you to death.”

He heard her footfalls start to recede.  His heart thumped furiously in his chest as he saw his last chance for freedom fade away.  “Well then, at least tell me what you’ve done with Ta-Bitjet!”

The footsteps stopped, then returned quickly.  Pain exploded across his face as she slapped him hard.  “I told you never to say that name, you insolent cur!”

His face lit up at her return.  She could have easily kept walking, but instead she had come back.  Granted, it was to slap his face, but it was still a reprieve from his death sentence.  “You don’t really want to kill me, do you?”  A satisfied smile touched his lips.  “I fascinate you, don’t I?  Look, why don’t we sit down somewhere, maybe have some tea.  We can get this whole sordid mess worked out.  You can get something out of it, and so can I.  I’m sure we can work out some sort of deal.  I’m known for granting favors --”

“Shut up, you infuriating man!”

“You’re flustered -- admit it!”  Leaning forward, he dropped his voice to a sexy drawl.  “Come on, Sekhmet.  You don’t really want to kill me.  You’ve never met anyone like me --”

“That’s right, I haven’t,” she said through gritted teeth, her voice harsh and grating.  “And I’ll never have to deal with you again either.”  Her voice grew loud, like a lion’s roar.  “Loose Ammit!”

A deafening cheer went up from the crowd.  Lucifer turned left and right, distracted by the yells and shouting surrounding him.  In the distance, a loud, guttural snarl instantly silenced the spectators.  Heavy footsteps thumped across the sand as whatever was approaching let out a rumbling, threatening hiss.  The fallen angel’s heart pounded in his chest as he took a step back from the direction of the growls.

“Now Ammit will provide you with a most painful death,” Sekhmet whispered in his ear with a menacing chuckle.  “And I will savor every moment.”  Her laugh echoed around him as she walked away.

Swallowing hard, Lucifer wondered what an Ammit was.

 

 


	18. Ammit

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A big thank you to my excellent beta, ScooterThyme!

 

 

Maze stared in horror at the massive beast walking into the far end of the arena.  It was easily twenty feet long, with a huge crocodile head.  The front half of its body was that of a lion, and the rear half that of a hippopotamus.  Its gold skin glimmered in the darkness, reflecting the flickering light cast by the iron braziers.  Looking left and right with malevolent yellow-green eyes, it snapped its jaws repeatedly, showing off its very large silver teeth.

The demon grabbed Set’s forearm with one hand and pointed to the monster with the other.  “What the hell is that thing?!”

The god blinked at her in surprise.  “What’s wrong, Mazikeen?  You seemed distressed.”

“Of course I’m distressed!  Lucifer is in the arena with that -- that thing!”

His eyebrows rose.  “Your blind friend?  You should be happy.  It is considered a great honor to be sacrificed to Ammit.”

_ “Sacrificed?!” _  She shook his forearm hard.  “Set, please -- you have to do something!”

The canine god’s eyes grew big and sad as helplessness crossed his features.  “But what can I do?  It is the will of Sekhmet.  I dare not go against her.”

“But....”  Maze glanced back at center of the field, where Lucifer was tugging on the chain at his ankle.  Her gaze flew to the lumbering beast getting closer and closer as her heart pounded frantically in her chest.  There was no doubt in her mind that he was about to get torn apart.

As if from far away, Set’s voice called to her. “Mazikeen.  Mazikeen, look at me.”

She couldn’t pull her eyes away from the scene the unfolding in front of her.  The beast had now crossed a quarter of the field.  The distance between it and the fallen angel was getting less and less....

“Look at me, Mazikeen.”

The smell of woody incense surrounded her, filled her senses, dulled the horror she felt.  Slowly, unwillingly, she turned her head to look at the god beside her.  His beauty was like none she had ever seen -- such warm eyes, such love in his expression....

“There is nothing we can do.”

Frozen, she could only stare at him as her brain screamed in defiance.

Set patted her hand.  “All will be well.”

  
  
  


________________________________________

  
  


 

Heart pounding in his chest, Lucifer grabbed the chain anchoring him to the ground.  Gritting his teeth and pulling the chain taut with all his might, he tried to break the metal links that bound him.  He had to get free! He could avoid getting eaten by whatever was approaching, if he could just fly...!  His neck muscles corded as he strained against the metal.

“Come on!” he cried, but it did not yield.  The links held firm.

The creature bellowed, its loud, ear-piercing roar sending shivers up and down the fallen angel’s spine.  A slow thumping like a drumroll caught his attention, growing faster and faster.  Bloody hell, the thing was charging!

Pain tore through his side as he went flying into the air, only to be brought up short by the chain and slammed to the ground.  Coughing as he gripped his ribs, he spit out the blood and sand in his mouth.  The foul odor of the monster, smoky and pungent like moldy hay, goat cheese and manure, hit Lucifer’s nose like a blow.  Saliva rushed to his mouth as his stomach rebelled from the overwhelming smell.  Swallowing hard, he struggled not to retch.

Heavy footsteps walked in a wide circle around the fallen angel as he writhed on the ground, struggling to his hands and knees.  Just as he got his feet under him, something hard batted at his back, slamming him into the ground once again.  The crowd roared with approval as he lay there, panting hard.

  
  


 

________________________________________

  
  


 

Maze dragged her eyes from Set and returned her gaze to Lucifer as the crowd around her erupted in cheers.  Everything inside of her strained to run to the Devil lying on the ground as the monster circled him, but she couldn’t move.

_ Dammit, that’s Lucifer down there! _ her brain yelled.  _  You can’t just let him die! _

Sweat broke out onto her brow as she struggled against the coils of power that bound her to Set.  Watching Lucifer suffer was wrong, terribly wrong.  She was supposed to prevent things like this!  Hadn’t she come to this plane to aid him?  And yet part of her resisted, whispering insidiously in her ear.

_ He has done nothing but brought you pain and misery.  He brought you to Earth, even when you didn’t wish it.  He never asked what  _ you _ wanted -- he only thought of his own needs, his own wants.  Set loves you.  Isn’t it far better to be with him? _

Maze clenched her teeth as she watched Ammit take a swipe at Lucifer with her massive lion’s paw, tossing him into the air like a doll until the chain stopped his flight.

 

 

________________________________________

  
  


 

Slamming into the ground once again, Lucifer scrambled to his feet as he struggled to stanch the flow of blood from his side.  As the monster let out a hiss, the fallen angel pulled his mouth back into a feral grin.

“Playing with our food, are we?  Didn’t anyone ever tell you it was bad manners?”

The coarse material of Lucifer’s robe tore into shreds as he unfurled his wings and spread them wide, making him look larger than he was.  The crowd’s gasp barely registered as he concentrated on his opponent.  Flight would be useless as long as he had that damned shackle on his ankle, but at least he could show this creature a thing or two with his razor sharp feathers.

For a few seconds the monster did not move.  Lucifer could feel its eyes on him, taking in his new form, before it let out a low rumble similar to a slowly turning ratchet.  The growl gathered strength until the monster threw back its head to bellow at the sky and charge again.

 

 

________________________________________

  
  


 

Maze stared, heart in her mouth, as Ammit ran straight at Lucifer.  By sheer luck, the fallen angel dodged the monster and fell to one side, swinging his wing down like a sword, but the feathers missed their target by a wide mark.  Quickly turning, the giant creature swiped at its prey, its claws tearing the remains of his robe and raking his chest.  With horrified eyes, she watched as Lucifer cried out and tumbled onto the dirt.  Her heart pounding furiously, the demon tried to understand why she was just sitting there while the Lord of Hell got attacked.  Wasn’t she supposed to protect him?  Wasn’t that her job?

_ Not anymore -- you have Set now.  He will make you a queen and you will never have to endanger yourself again, _ the voice in her head whispered.

But... did she want to be a queen?  That wasn’t who she was.  She was Mazikeen of the Lilim.  Fighting was in her blood, and Lucifer knew that.  He appreciated her for who she was and had never tried to change her into something she wasn’t.

_ But Lucifer has never done anything for you.  Leave him -- he is nothing. _

No, that wasn’t true.  Maze’s brows drew down as she scowled.  Lucifer was  _ not _ nothing.

He was a lot of things -- selfish, opinionated, childish -- but he was also kind-hearted, thoughtful when it mattered, and protective.  She had to admit, they’d had some damn good times on Earth.  He was her friend.  No... he was  _ family. _

Suddenly the fog cleared from her brain, and for the first time since setting her eyes on Set, she felt like herself again.  As she rose to her feet, the canine god looked up at her, his mouth falling open in surprise.

“Mazikeen?”

“I have to help him.”  She started to walk away, but he caught her arm and held her back.  When she glanced at him, he smiled at her.  At the sight of his handsome face, she felt the tendrils of his charisma reaching out to her, beckoning her to return to his embrace.  Gritting her teeth, she kept Lucifer in the forefront of her mind and pulled from Set’s grip.  She quickly strode to the edge of the balcony and jumped over.

The soft sand made her landing easy.  Dusting herself off, she yelled, “Hey!  Ammit -- over here!”  As the monster turned and glared at her, Maze reached for the knives at her belt -- only to find that they weren’t there.  Her insides turned cold as she realized she had left them in her quarters.  “Oh, sh--”

 

 

________________________________________

 

 

“Hey!  Ammit -- over here!”

Lucifer lifted his head, a jolt running through his body as the demon’s voice rang out across the arena.  _  Maze! _  Could it be?  He held his breath for some sign that it hadn’t been his imagination.  As he heard the shuffle of the beast move away from him, a jolt shot through his body.  He huffed out a soft laugh.  His Maze was back!  Now they could show this monster a thing or two!

He hauled himself to his feet, groaning as agony shot through his body.  “Maze!” he yelled as he grinned. “It’s about time!”

“Shut up, Lucifer!” she shouted back at him.  At the sound of her strained voice, the fallen angel’s smile fell from his face.  Something was wrong... very wrong.  She sounded scared, which was impossible... wasn’t it?  His heart thumped rapidly in his chest as his insides went cold.

“Oy!”  He waved his arms in what he hoped was the right direction.  “Come on, you ugly beast!  I’m the one you want, remember?  Me!  Come and get  _ me!” _

 

 

________________________________________

 

 

Grabbing a thick slab of burning wood from one of the iron braziers, Maze waved it threateningly as the grotesque beast started lumbering toward her.  As it approached slowly, its yellow-green eyes lighting upon her, she felt the blood rush from her face.  Dizziness washed over her as her heartbeat pounded frantically in her chest.

It was the same feeling she had when she’d looked upon Sekhmet -- pure, unadulterated fear.

Why?  She was no simpering miss -- she had faced much worse in Hell!  And yet, as it ambled toward her, she found herself unable to move.  Her breath hitched in her chest, strangling her.  As the creature approached, its stench wafted toward her, enveloping her in its foul odor and immobilizing her even further.  What was wrong with her?!  All the strength left her trembling legs, but she fought to stay upright.  There was no way she’d show any weakness to that... creature.

“Maze!  It’s about time!”  Lucifer’s happy voice cut through her thoughts, and strangely enough, gave her strength.

“Shut up, Lucifer!”  She tightened her grip on her makeshift weapon and hefted it like a baseball bat.

Ammit looked at her, then at the burning torch in her hands.  Maze was sure the damned thing was laughing at her as it slowly put one foot in front of the other and stalked her.  She heard Lucifer yelling something, but she couldn’t understand him... and frankly she didn’t have time to figure out what he wanted.

“Come and get  _ me!” _

Blinking, she dimly realized that he was trying to protect her.  As Ammit broke eye contact and shuffled toward Lucifer once again, Maze ran up from behind and slammed the thick torch against its back.  The wood thumped against its golden flesh and splintered in half as it made contact.  Howling in pain and anger, the monster whipped around to snap at her with its large maw.  Dodging the glistening teeth, the demon skirted past it and ran toward Lucifer.  She didn’t know how she was going to free him, but she’d think of something.

“Lucifer!” she cried out as she barrelled into him, panting hard.  Looking over her shoulder, she saw Ammit stomping furiously at the torch in the sand.  Her stomach dropped to her knees as it glared at her with death in its eyes.

 

 

________________________________________

 

 

“Lucifer!”

Maze hit Lucifer with the force of a freight train, knocking him off his feet.  They ended up in a tangle of arms and legs.  Lurching to his feet, he felt for her and tried to help her up.  “You need to get out of here --”

“Not without you!”  And then: “Oh, crap --”

As the thunderous pounding reverberated around them, the fallen angel shoved Maze to one side.  Pain shattered his insides as the beast rammed into him, throwing him aside like a rag doll. Lying crumpled on the ground, he heard Ammit’s hard footsteps veer away from him.  When he heard the sharp staccato of snapping jaws amid growls punctuating the air and his demon cry out, he felt the blood rush from his face.  “Maze!”

A roar went up from the crowd.  Bloody hell, if he could only see...!

Leaping high with his wings to help him, he jumped in the direction where he heard the monster snarling.  Purely by luck, he landed on its back.  Howling, it bucked and tried to knock him off.  Now that he could feel the creature under him, he brought his wings sharply down on its hide.  It’s piercing scream hurt his ears as Ammit shook him off, then a sharp blow to the chest sent him flying backward.  He was barely aware of the sound of the chain snapping as he hit the dirt hard, sand filling his nostrils and mouth.  Coughing, he lay there for a moment as agony filled every inch of his body.

“Come on, you stupid monster!” he heard Maze cry, and another cheer went up.  What was happening?  Just as he raised himself up onto his hands and knees, he heard soft footfalls running toward him, then felt a tight grip on his arms pulling him to his feet.  The demon’s hard gasps and the smell of blood in the air sent fury rippling through him.  Had that monster hurt her?  No one hurted his Maze!  He needed to end this -- now.

A sudden rumbling, hard and fast, filled the air.

“Crap, here it comes!”

He held out a hand and tried to tuck her behind him.  “Get behind me and square me up with that thing!”

He felt her press against his back and yank his shoulders, turning him to the left.  “Okay!”

“Right -- shield your eyes!” he yelled as he reached inside the sleeve of what was left of his torn robe and pulled out his little star.

As he overloaded it with his lightbringer energy, it spat angrily, growing larger and larger until it was a giant fireball.  Although everything was blackness to him, he felt it explode with hot, fiery power, overwhelming everywhere with its intense brightness.  Screams filled the air, both from the spectators and from the monster before them.

He tried to hold on and sustain the light, but as the pain from his injuries squeezed his insides like a tight fist, he found he couldn’t anymore.  Releasing the star from his energy, he felt it shrink back to a tiny flame and dance on his palm.  As he swayed where he stood, he swallowed hard and struggled to stay conscious.  Straightening, he tightened his hand into a fist around his star and looked over his shoulder.  “Maze?”

“How -- what...?!”  She sounded bewildered.

“I’m sure they’re only stunned temporarily.”  He moved his shackled ankle.  The soft chinking sounds of the metal links hitting each other reached his ears,  but his foot felt lighter. “Am I free?”

He felt his demon nod against his back.

“Right.”  Placing the little star on his shoulder, he turned and swung Maze into his arms.  “Be my eyes.”

With a great flap of his white wings, he pushed himself into the air and took off.

  
  



	19. Unexpected Aid

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A big thank you to my wonderful beta, ScooterThyme!

 

 

Lucifer hadn’t flown far when his strength started to wane.  Too much blood loss from his fight had left him exhausted.  Staying low because Maze had warned him not to fly too high, he dodged around buildings and down back alleys of the city. His little star served as a headlight as his demon navigated for him, saying “left,” “right,” and “are you trying to kill us?!”  His lungs burned as he flew through the hot breeze, but he kept pushing until he was at the brink of exhaustion.  When he finally realized that continuing to fly meant they would end up crashing into the ground like a meteor, he slowed down.

“I... I can’t,” he panted as he struggled to stay aloft.

Maze seemed to understand.  “Tight left... now.  I think we’ll be safe enough.”

As soon as he executed the turn, he slowed down and hovered, lowering himself slowly.  Unable to gage where he was in relation to the ground, he stumbled when his feet finally touched the hot sands.  After he released Maze, he bent over, his hands resting on his thighs as he took deep breaths and tried to control the torment his body was in.  His chest burned from the claw marks -- luckily they weren’t too deep -- but his side still oozed blood and his bruised body felt like he had been run over by every single car on the 405 freeway during rush hour traffic.

Maze’s voice was soft in his ear.  “Turn off your light -- it’s not safe.”

Reaching up, Lucifer grabbed a hold of the little dancing star on his shoulder.  The silly thing was completely oblivious to the danger they were in!  As soon as his hand closed around it, it grew still and dimmed to a barely visible glow.

The scent of aromatic oils -- clean, crisp and slightly lemony -- touched his nose as Maze slung his arm over her shoulder and held onto his waist.  He leaned on her, grateful for the support, and let her lead.  Her warmth beside him felt soothing, and he longed to curl up somewhere and just rest.

They hadn’t gone far when a voice called out to them in the darkness.

“Emissary.”

Lucifer felt Maze tense beside him, then suddenly relax.  Her reaction puzzled him, but he wasn’t about to question her about it now.  Recognizing the thin and breathy voice, he pulled up to a stop.  “I’m not your bloody emissary, Shait.  Leave me alone.”

He felt Maze jerk in surprise. “Wait, you know her?  Because she’s... lovely.”

Surprise had him glancing in her direction.  “What?”

“She’s beautiful.  I just want to bask in her glory for all eternity --”

_ “What?! _  What is wrong with you?!”  He turned back toward the goddess and cocked his head.  “What did you do to her, Shait?”

“It is a common enough reaction.  Fear not, it will pass -- perhaps.”  Amusement filled her voice.  “Blade of Ruin, it was an unexpected surprise to find that you came with the Emissary.  This was not foreseen.”

“Blade of Ruin?”  Confusion laced Maze’s words.  “What are you talking about?”

Ignoring the demon, the goddess suddenly broke out into a wheezing laugh.  “I knew you would escape, Emissary.”

“No thanks to you.”  Straightening to his full height despite the pain his body was in, he lifted his chin. “And will you stop calling me that?  My name is Lucifer Morningstar.  If you’re not here to help us, then I suggest you leave. I’m in no mood for your bloody prophecy.”

The smell of incense burned his nose as he heard her shuffling footsteps approach, and her voice dropped down to a whisper.  “Everyone is looking for you.  You revealed yourself as the Emissary to all with your burst of light, and now Set has put a price on your head.”

He exhaled heavily.   _ “Lovely.” _

“Come.  I know a place where you can rest.”

As the fallen angel heard Shait shuffle off, Maze tugged him into motion, guiding him as they followed the goddess in silence.  At times Lucifer felt himself pushed against a wall, and he instinctively flattened against it as the sound of heavy footsteps marched by.  Sweat beaded on his brow and his breaths came out in harsh pants as they made their way through the city.

At last the scraping of a door against the ground signaled the end of their journey.  Lucifer breathed out a sigh of relief as he was ushered inside.  The tantalizing smell of freshly baked bread hit his nose and set his mouth watering.

“Renenutet!” Shait called out in a loud hiss.  “I have brought the Emissary.”

“Oh wow,” Maze whispered as the sound of footsteps drew close.

The fallen angel lifted his head.  “What is it?”

“I thought Shait was fine, but Renenutet is... gorgeous.”

Lucifer heard the admiration in his demon’s voice and wondered about it.  What was going on with her?  “Maze... what do they look like?”

Her voice took on a dreamy quality.  “Both of them have skin of gold, like the finest jewelry.  Their bodies are those of female women, but Shait has the head of an asp, while Renenutet has the head of a cobra.  They are blindingly beautiful.”

He furrowed his brow, then winced at the movement.  His demon was making no sense at all.  True, Maze appreciated fine looks as much as he did, but she was more the “let’s just have sex, the more violent the better” type than the “let me wax nostalgic about your beauty” type.  His voice took on a hard edge.  “Right.  You can fangirl over them as much as you like  _ after _ Chloe is cured, but for now, control yourself,” he snapped.

Maze sounded shaken at his words.  “Uh... yeah.  Okay.”

“Sit down,” said a clear, bell-like voice.  The scent of slightly spicy, fruity incense swirled around Lucifer as hands helped him into a chair.  “Bread is before you.  Eat.”

Reaching out, he ran his fingers over the worn, wooden surface of a table and encountered a flat ceramic dish.  Groping, he felt a small loaf of bread on the plate.  Picking it up, he took a tentative nibble.  When the yeasty flavor hit his tongue, he groaned in ecstasy.  The crust shattered around his lips, but the inside of the bread was pillowy soft and tasted divine.  He would have rolled his eyes, if he could have.

Shait hummed with approval.  “It is good that you eat, Emissary.  Renenutet’s bread will help your body recover from its injuries.”

“We need a healer,” Maze said.

The Goddess of Fate’s cackle filled the air.  “The only healer in the realm is Sekhmet.  You will have to make do with the Goddess of Nourishment’s bread instead.  We have bandages and ointments that may help somewhat.”  Lucifer heard cabinets open and close, then gentle hands touched his side, his face.  “Ah, he has had much damage.  Help me, Blade of Ruin.”

The fallen angel hissed through his teeth as hands poked and prodded him.  Struggling to hold back a bevy of curses, he stuffed his mouth full of bread and chewed like his life depended on it.  Something as cold as ice touched his side and he yelped.

“Stay still, you big baby,” Maze snarled, although her voice was gentle.  She carefully wrapped bandages around his chest so that they wouldn’t hinder his wings.  Then: “That’s the second time you called me that, Shait.”

“What, Blade of Ruin?  Because that is who you are.”

“She is the Blade of Ruin?”  There was surprise and a hint of fear in Renenutet’s voice.

“Yes.  I had not foreseen her arrival with the Emissary.  It is an unexpected surprise, and a blessing.  It bodes well for us.”

“What is this nonsense about a Blade of Ruin?  Why do you keep calling me that?” Maze asked, frustration in her voice.

“Because it is who you are.  Your blades clearly revealed your identity.  Back in the days before the Great Darkness, before She Who Mauls became our ruler, I looked into the future and saw a woman with knives who would come and destroy the world.  At the time when we lived in the light, I feared she would destroy us, so I told Set that he had to make the Blade of Ruin his queen.  Only he could prevent the damage she would wreak.”

“So I’m supposed to destroy the world?”  Excitement filled the demon’s voice.  “Cool.”

“I am not sure this is a good thing,” Renenutet said.  “If she is to destroy our world --”

“The world as we know it now!” crowed Shait.  “Do you not see?  The Emissary and the Blade of Ruin will return Horus to us!  We shall have light once again!”

Lucifer frowned at the fervor in Shait’s voice.  “Right.  You’re just seeing what you  _ want _ to see.  What if Maze isn’t the Blade of Ruin, and I’m not the Emissary?  What happens if we cannot accomplish what you want?”

A harsh laugh filled the air, sending a chill down the fallen angel’s spine.  “Why, it’s simple, Emissary.  You will both die a most horrible and painful death.”

 

 

________________________________________

 

 

Later, after the goddesses helped bind Maze’s wounds that she had sustained from Ammit, they showed her and Lucifer to a room in which they could rest.  The demon helped the fallen angel sit on the bed, then worked on freeing his leg of the ankle shackle before she settled herself down in a nearby chair.  Her eyes filled with concern as Lucifer swung his legs up onto the mattress and lay down like an old man, pain evident in every movement.

“So what do we do now?” she asked him.

Letting out a heavy sigh, he adjusted himself on the bedding and tilted his head toward the ceiling.  “Right.  We do what they want -- get rid of Sekhmet.  I don’t think we have any choice.”

Maze snorted.  “I hate this.  All this foreseeing crap....  Emissary?  Blade of Ruin?  It’s drivel.”

“I completely agree.”  The fallen angel shook his head.  “But they seem to think it’s real, and now we have all the Egyptian gods after us.”

“So... should we sneak into the palace and confront Sekhmet?  Not exactly my style, but....”  She grinned.  “I’m all for a little death and destruction.”

“Good.”  He turned his face toward her.  A sharp stabbing pain hit her in the chest at the sight of the bloody bandages around his eyes.  His bout against Ammit had caused them to start bleeding again.  She had offered to change the dressing but he had waved her away, saying that a little blood might frighten their opponents. She suspected that his refusal had more to do with the fact that he was afraid of what she might find once she removed them.

Trying to inject a little confidence in her voice, she asked, “What’s your plan?”

He returned his sightless gaze back toward the ceiling, his hand rubbing the chest bandages absently.  “A frontal assault.  It will be the last thing they’ll be expecting.”

“Nice!”  She brightened.  “So what -- just barge our way through the streets all the way to the palace?  I can go for that.”

“No, we’ll sneak up on the palace, drop in from above right on their front doorstep and fight our way to the bloody throne room.  I’m sure Sekhmet will be there.”

The demon frowned and bit her lower lip.  “And what do you plan to do once you find her?  You can’t see --”

“Right.  I’m well aware of that,” he said dryly.  “But fists aren’t the only way to fight.”  Lifting his hand, he raised his little star, filling the room with a soft flickering light, before setting it on his shoulder.  It resembled a tiny flame from a cigarette lighter as it danced to and fro.

A heavy silence enveloped the room -- it wasn’t a comfortable silence, either.  When had there been such tension between them?  Not for a long time -- not since she had betrayed him to Amenadiel so long ago, and told the angel about Doctor Linda.  Thinking about their time on this plane, her heart froze in her chest as she remembered some of the harsh things she had said to him.  Oh, hell.  He must be furious at her....

She took a deep breath, then another.  It wasn’t easy to explain herself to the Devil, but she knew it had to be done.  She been able to justify her actions long ago, when she had divulged that she had told Amenadiel about Doctor Linda to protect him... but this time?  There hadn’t been any underlying reason for her harsh words.  She had betrayed him, pure and simple.

“L-Lucifer --” she began, but he cut her off.

“What did you feel when you first saw Set?”

Her mouth fell open.  “What?”

He turned toward her.  The little star on his shoulder suddenly stilled, ducking low and crouching behind Lucifer’s profile, as if spying on her.  It made Maze feel watched... but that was absurd.  “What did you feel when you first saw Set?”

“I....”  she suddenly laughed nervously.  “What does this have to do with anything?”  At her prevarication, the star flared briefly before resuming its very soft brightness.

“Just answer the question, Maze.”

Swallowing hard, she said, “He was... beautiful.  I wanted to have sex with him.”

“Hm.”

Maze didn’t know what that meant.   _ Hm? _  That was it?  Wasn’t he going to ask her if she had slept with the god?  Because she hadn’t -- at least she could answer  _ that _ question.  But his next question caught her off-guard.

“What about Sekhmet?  DId you want have sex with her, too?”

She blinked.  The question hadn’t been filled with anger or jealousy... merely clinical curiosity.  It was odd.  “No.  I was terrified of her.”

That caught his attention.  For a moment he was silent, then he laughed, although it sounded strained.  “Come now -- you’re a demon.  You’re not afraid of anyone or anything.”

“No... but I was when I looked at her. And Ammit too.  I can’t explain why.”

“But you  _ were _ attracted to Shait and Renenutet.”

“Yes.”

“Hm.  Interesting.”  His voice dropped down to a mumble, and she had a hard time picking out his words.  It sounded like, “Those with sight are the ones who are blind....”

What did  _ that _ mean?  Squinting at him, she asked, “What did you say?”

He didn’t answer.

Maze chewed the inside of her cheek.  Everything felt strained, uncomfortable... wrong.  She had to explain herself to him, tell him that she hadn’t meant all the harsh things she had said.  “Lucifer... look, about some of the things I said before....”

“You didn’t say anything that wasn’t the truth.”

At his softly spoken words, her heart squeezed painfully.  The hurt in his voice was unmistakable.  Blood rushed from her face, leaving her pale, as she gripped her hands tightly together.  “Lucifer, just let me explain --”

“I’m tired, Maze.  Leave it.”  He rolled on his side, facing away from her.  The little star climbed up his shoulder to glare at her, then settled down in the crook of his neck, as if to stand watch.

She sat in the darkness and watched the fallen angel for a long time afterward, her eyes burning with unshed tears as she felt her insides crumple up into a tight ball.

 

 


	20. The Raid

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A big thank you to my wonderful beta, ScooterThyme!

 

 

Lucifer awoke with a start.

How long had he been sleeping?  His heartbeat pounded in his chest as he sat up and turned to his left and right -- not that it would do any good, seeing as how everything was just blackness to him.  He tightened his hands into fists to stop the fine tremble coursing through them.  “Maze?”

The legs of a chair scraped the floor, then he heard the whisper of fabric.  “Yeah.  How do you feel?”

How  _ did _ he feel?  His body ached terribly, but it was bearable.  His side was still painful, but the intensity had lessened somewhat.  “A little better.  How long have I slept?”

“I’d say about an hour.”

_ An hour! _  An hour lounging about while Chloe’s life slowly ticked away!  He had only meant to close his eyes for ten minutes....   _ Idiot! _  Cursing under his breath, he swung his legs over the side of the bed and touched the floor.  With a groan he got to his feet.  Maze was instantly beside him, steadying him with an arm wrapped around his waist.

“You look like a strong puff of wind could knock you over.”

Lucifer snorted as he waved her off.  “Don’t be insulting.  I’m the Devil!  A little tiff with an Egyptian monster is hardly anything that would set me back for long.”

“Hah,” was all Maze said.

After taking a deep breath, he frowned at the tension between him and his demon, but he didn’t do anything about it.  Recalling the harsh words between them, he bit his lip.  Everything she had told him had been the truth.  He had destroyed his demon’s life, and not once had he thought of what  _ she _ had wanted.  He was a destroyer.  First Chloe, then Maze -- he ruined everything he touched.

His brow furrowed as he thought about Maze and Set.  He wasn’t sure if his demon’s reaction to the god was due to his appearance -- which he suspected might be the case -- but if it wasn’t, he had no intention of keeping her by him against her will.  Although he couldn’t change the past, he  _ could _ change how things were now.  He’d let Maze go.  If she wanted to be with Set when all was said and done, then so be it.  He didn’t want her to feel obligated to stay with him.

“So when are we going to fly in and start attacking?”  He could hear the excitement in Maze’s voice.

Lucifer tapped his finger on his chin as he thought.  “In a moment, but first we have to do something about your reaction to them.  I suspect the gods have a glamour or some other visual power that might be affecting you.  If we don’t do something about that, you’ll be helpless as a lamb to a slaughter.”

“Give me a fricking break,” she said in a scoffing tone.  “I don’t need anything. I can handle it.”

He let out a harsh laugh.  “Right.  Just like you handled your attraction to Shait and Renenutet?  And what of your fear of Sekhmet?”  At her silence, he snorted.  “Forgive me if I don’t believe you.”

“Wait -- so you think my fear of Sekhmet and Ammit has something to do with their glamour?  How they look?”

“Well, what else could it be?  You’ve never acted in such a manner.”  He thought a moment, then shook his head.  “No -- I take that back.  You’ve had sex with plenty of humans so your attraction to the goddesses isn’t anything new.  But afraid?  You’ve never been afraid before.”

The fallen angel stood still as his demon paced in front of him.  When she spoke, her voice was bristling with anger.  “It was just some weird anomaly.  I’m not afraid of anything.”

“I know, but obviously there was something....”  He took a deep breath.  “Shait said that there’s strength in blindness.  Maybe that’s the key to fighting them --”

Her voice grew belligerent.  “So what are you suggesting?  You want to blind me?!”

“Well, no -- not quite.”  He turned toward her, his voice cajoling.  “Right.  I want you to wear a blindfold --”

“A blindfold?!  You gotta be kidding me.”  A hard finger jabbed at his chest.  “You’re trying to get me killed, aren’t you?”

His mouth fell open.  “What?  No!”

Maze’s voice grew louder as the jabbing became a shove.  “This is all to pay me back for abandoning you, isn’t it?”

“Certainly not!”  Lucifer raised himself to his full height, thrusting his chest out and lifting his chin.  He would have glared at her, if he could have.  “This has nothing to do with that.”

An uncomfortable minute of silence passed between them before Maze finally said in a small voice, “Really?”

The fallen angel sighed with relief.  At last she was seeing reason!  “Really.  Now look, I know it would hinder your jam --”

“That’s an understatement.”

“-- but believe me, I only have your best interests at heart.”

She snorted.  “I’m not wearing a blindfold.”

Lucifer’s heart pounded in his chest at her refusal.  “But Maze --”

Her voice grew fierce and insistent.  “I’m  _ not _ fighting blind.  I’m a demon -- I can handle whatever they throw at me.”

The fallen angel frowned.  He knew that tone of Maze’s -- it meant that nothing he said would budge her from her position.  His mouth went dry at her refusal, and he ran a jerky hand through his hair.  He didn’t like this -- not one bit.  “Very well, but promise me you won’t look at them in the eye.”

“Yeah, whatever.”

He wanted to throw things at her flippancy.  Reaching out, he felt for her arm, then turned her toward him.  “I’m serious, Maze -- keep your eyes moving.  Don’t ever let your gaze rest on their faces.  Understood?”

He could practically hear her eyeroll.  “Keep the eyes moving -- gotcha.”

With that, he had to be satisfied.  He hoped she would listen to him, but there was no way he could make her, even if it was for her own good.  Taking a deep breath, he let it out slowly.  “Then let’s go.  Have you any weapons?”

She chuckled.  “Don’t worry about weapons -- those will be easy enough to obtain once we attack.”

 

 

________________________________________

 

 

With Maze in his arms, Lucifer flew swiftly in the darkness.  She still had to keep him from faceplanting into some of the structures when his turns were too tight -- a hard slap on his shoulder let him know when he cut things too fine.  Being unable to see, he worried that they were far too visible to the resident gods, but the demon assured them she was being careful and keeping to the shadows of the buildings.  It would have helped if he could have just seen where they were going, but no.  That was impossible.

He hated the horrible, wretched darkness that inundated his world like a thick, suffocating blanket.  Oh, Hell was often very dark and filled with ash, but there had always been a soft, bluish glow about the place, and of course the cells had whatever lighting they wanted, depending on what the damned soul feared.  He had never been surrounded by pure blackness.  No light penetrated through his ruined eyes at all.

A dull roaring filled his ears as the blood pulsed through him, but not from the upcoming fight -- oh no.  The fear that he might never regain his eyesight stabbed his insides and sent chills through his body.  What if he couldn’t recover from his injuries?  The thought of not ever seeing Chloe, Beatrice or Emrys again shattered his heart.  No.   _ No. _  That was a fate worse than death.  Taking a deep breath, he told himself over and over that he’d see again.  He’d get Chloe well, she’d heal him, and they’d have a good laugh when this was all over.

The little star curled in the crook of his neck, as if to give comfort.  He would have given it a friendly pat, if he could have.  Although he couldn’t even see his light, he could feel how much power it was drawing and estimate how much illumination it was throwing off.  Not much, by the feel of it -- probably just enough to help the demon navigate the darkness.

Maze’s voice in his ear broke through his thoughts.  “We’re almost there.”

“Very well.  Are you ready?”

He heard her give a hearty, exuberant laugh.  “You have to ask?  Let’s kick some ass!”

Soaring upward quickly, he then dove down from above to reach the top of the palace steps.  Shouts and the sound of footsteps running toward them echoed around him.  Flaring his wings out, he lowered himself to the ground, stumbling when his feet touched down.  With a war cry, Maze leaped out of his arms.

The sounds of screams and bones crunching resounded around him, and he smiled at the mayhem his demon wrought.  Ah, if only he could have seen this!  He always loved watching Maze fight --

“Lucifer, behind you!”

At her cry, the fallen angel braced himself as he whipped his wings outward and whirled on his heel.  His wings hit something hard -- a body, perhaps two? -- as he swung his strong appendages forcefully around him.  Listening closely for more attackers, he did his best to defend himself.  Most of the times he struck out at empty air, but a few times he got lucky.  Maze took care of most of their attackers.

Then she grabbed his hand and dragged him forward into the palace.  He heard more yelling and screaming as his demon fought off all the guards.  Doing his best to watch her back, Lucifer swung his wings out and hoped to hit some soldiers.  Sometimes he got lucky.  A sense of satisfaction filled him whenever he dealt out a hard blow and heard the grunt of an attacker falling to the wayside.

Maze tugged him down one hall then another.  Unable to keep track of where they were going, Lucifer finally stopped trying.  They passed through several doorways and down a few halls until Maze finally told him where they were.  “Throne room.”

That explained the cacophony of war cries, and the loud pounding of feet running toward them.  As he brought his wings up into a fighting stance, Lucifer heard Maze laugh with exuberance.  There was the ringing of steel -- apparently his demon had absconded with someone’s sword -- and then groans of pain and the sound of flesh being torn asunder.  Before he knew it, the room had fallen silent once again.

Panting, Maze walked up to him.  “I don’t see Sekhmet.”

Lucifer’s insides grew cold as he felt the blood drain from his face.  “Bloody hell.  If she’s not here, then where could she be?”

“The palace is too huge to search, and I don’t have the patience for this kind of crap.”  Maze strode away from him.  He heard a groan and her sharp voice. “Hey, you -- where’s Sekhmet?  Tell me or I’ll gut you like a fish.”  The sound of several blows landing on some poor sod filled the room.  “Tell me!”

“H-her chambers... through that door,” Lucifer heard a weak voice say.

“Thanks.”  There was a thunk, then Maze’s sharp stride approached him.  “Come on.”

Taking his hand, she dragged him across the room.  Just as she put his hand on the door knob, a shout rang out and more pounding footsteps entered from the far side of the room.

“I got this -- go!”  The demon shoved him forward none too gently.

“Thanks, Maze,” he managed to say before slipping into the door and closing it behind him.  He would have stayed to help, but in the condition he was in now, he’d just be a hindrance.  Taking a deep breath, he prepared himself for the upcoming battle with Sekhmet.

 

 


	21. Blade of Ruin

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A big thank you to my excellent beta, ScooterThyme!

 

 

Maze watched Lucifer slip through the door, then concentrated on the guards that quickly surrounded her.  The iron braziers dimly lit the throne room, sending her attackers’ shadows flickering against the walls.  The darkness was definitely a disadvantage -- for them, at least. She had fought enough in Hell with its dim lighting to see her opponents very well.

Fingering the sword that she had taken from one of the dead guards, she gave her opponents a feral grin.  Whirling like a tornado, she leaped at the soldiers, keeping her eyes moving to avoid looking at them straight on.  Lucifer’s suggestion seemed to work, for although the smell of incense surrounded her, she didn’t feel the strange, mind-numbing attraction that she’d felt when she had seen Shait and Renenutet.  Yeah, maybe a blindfold would have been better, but one blind man was enough.  She preferred to  _ see. _

Ducking as one soldier took a swipe at her head, she kicked him in the chest and sent him flying into a group of guards.  They fell over like bowling pins, bringing a smirk to her face.  Wishing she had her knives, she ran toward them.  One warrior met her head on -- she quickly stabbed him in the gut, then kicked another guard in the side, watching him crash into a wall with satisfaction.

As a different guard swung his sword at her, she dodged the blow, then brought her blade down at his head.  The brittle metal broke as it met his shield, sending vibrations up her arm.  The sharp fragment flew in the air and clattered to the ground a good distance away.  Cursing shoddy weapons and wishing all the more for her knives, Maze threw the hilt at him and lunged for a fallen guard’s sword.  Tumbling across the floor, she grabbed its hilt and came up in a fighter’s stance.

Guards poured into the throne room in a never-ending stream.  The demon took them all down, punching, kicking, and striking out with her sword.  Bodies fell around her like flies as she easily dispatched them.  Finally, she was the last one standing over a pile of fallen soldiers.

A slow clapping from the back of the throne room had her turning to see who was left.  There, leaning lazily against the far door, was Set.  Straightening, she made the mistake of looking directly at him.  Her heartbeat quickened as her eyes took in his fine figure, his handsome canine face.  AssSweat beaded her brow, she tightened her grip on the sword.  Why did her knees feel weak?

The canine god smiled at her charmingly.  “Mazikeen, you have returned!”  He opened his arms in a welcoming gesture and walked toward her.  “I have been so worried about you.”

Even though butterflies fluttered in her stomach at his words, she swallowed hard and lifted her chin.  “You could have fooled me.”

“How can you say such a thing?”  His face spasmed with hurt.

Her heart clenched at the sight.  What was  _ wrong _ with her?!  Struggling against the impulse to run and give him a hug, she glared at him.  “I didn’t see you jumping into the arena to help me against Ammit.”

“How could I?  By the time I had gotten a hold of a weapon, you and your blind friend were gone.”  His eyes grew big and puppylike.  The aroma of spicy, woody incense drifted toward her, clouding her thoughts and making her dizzy.  Shaking her head to clear it, she took a step back and held the sword in front of her.

“Stay back.”

“But why?”  He drew closer until he was ten feet away, well out of the range of her sword.  Stopping short, he cocked his head at her.  “Why are you pointing that sword at me?  Are you not happy to see me?”

Was she?  Everything inside of her wanted to say yes, but a feeling of wrongness pervaded her senses.  Fighting against the spell he was weaving around her, she ground her toes into the tiled floor and strengthened her fighting stance.  “I don’t want to hurt you.”

“Of course you don’t -- why would you?”  When he took another step forward, she took a step back.

“I’m warning you, Set.”

His voice became warm, loving.  “I knew you were special when I met you.  From that first moment, I wanted to make you my queen.”  He held out his hand.  “Come, Mazikeen.  Join me and become the goddess you were always meant to be.”

Staring at his hand, she felt her face grow warm.  A queen?  A goddess?  That sounded so appealing. She could be the one giving the orders, ruling the land with a tight fist.  She could be great -- perhaps even greater than Lucifer!

Her heart stuttered at the thought of the fallen angel.  Why did her former lord cause her breath to hitch?  Her insides shriveled, her hands began to tremble, and she found herself swallowing convulsively.  Why? She didn’t understand.  And yet, even as she thought that, she remembered how she had treated him, the harsh words she had said, the betrayal... it all came rushing back.  And here she was, ready to betray him again!  The memory of him turning his back on her and telling her to “leave it” had bile rushing into her throat and her stomach twisting into little knots.

The cobwebs finally cleared from her mind.  Surprisingly, as she looked at Set again, she could see him for what he truly was -- a manipulative trickster of a god.  Handsome, yes, but with an oily quality about him that gave off the impression of untrustworthiness.  Her heart gave a jolt as a glimmer at his belt caught her eye.  He was wearing her knives!

She pointed her sword at him.  “My knives -- give them to me.”

The look on his face was almost comical as his jaw dropped open and his eyes widened.  “What?  You couldn’t possibly want --”

“I want my knives.”  She took a step forward, her eyes hard.  This time he was the one to back away.

“But... you would be my queen!  We could rule this plane --”

“I am Mazikeen of the Lilim.  Chief torturer of Hell.  Right hand to the Devil.  That is who I am -- not your queen.”  She tightened her grip on her hilt as she took another step toward him.  “Give me back my knives.”

A look of regret crossed Set’s face.  “I honestly thought we could have worked something out, but so be it.”  In a flash he drew her blades, one in each hand, and brandished them at her.  “Come and get them.”

A feral smile lit Maze’s face right before she ran at him, her sword over her head.

They met in an explosion of sound as metal struck metal, with Set blocking the sword with one of her knives while he swung the other.  Maze barely avoided getting disemboweled as the blade sliced through the linen of her dress.  Delivering a roundhouse kick, she caught Set in the side, then she swung again with her sword.  The blade came down onto empty air as Set danced out of range.

The demon circled the god, sizing him up as an opponent.  He was stronger than she was, but she was faster.  The curved knife whistled through the air as he jabbed at her.  She leaped away, then pushed forward with several strokes of her sword.  He dodged and parried, getting in a few swipes with his blades.

Aiming for his head, she brought her blade down, but he jumped high in the air, avoiding the blow.  The sword crashed onto the tile floor where Set had been just a moment before, and the brittle blade broke in half.  Flinging the hilt from her, Maze executed a series of tumbles as the canine god chased after her, swinging the knives with all his might.  She kicked out at his feet, tripping him, then tackled him.  The tip of the knife scraped her cheek as Set flailed his arms, trying to get her off of him.  Grabbing his arm, she struggled to free the weapon from his hand, but he took a swipe at her with the other blade.  With lightning quick reflexes, Maze jumped to her feet and backed away as her heart pumped furiously in her chest.  That had been close!  Perhaps she had underestimated him...?

Set lunged at her again.  Pain blazed up and down her leg as the knife blade cut into her outer thigh.  She went down hard as she dodged another blow.  Hissing through her teeth at the burning sensation, she glared at the canine god standing over her.  Pushing herself backwards along the floor, she kept her eyes glued to his face.  How could she have ever thought him handsome?  His downturned snout crinkled as he bared his teeth.

“I’m really disappointed in you, Mazikeen.”  As he approached, he twirled her knives in his hands.  “I was hoping you’d take me up on my offer.  I’d have to kill you otherwise, you see.”

Glancing behind her, the demon spied a sword on the floor by one of the fallen soldiers.  If she could just reach that, she might have a chance....

Turning back toward Set, she gave him her sexiest look.  “Why would you have to kill me?  Kind of extreme reaction to rejection.  I’m sure we could work something out.”

_ Keep him talking, keep him talking.... _

A laugh burst from his lips.  “Oh Mazikeen, I do so admire you.  You and I... we would have been so good together.”  He smiled, but his expression sent chills down her spine.  “But I really have no intention of letting you destroy everything I’ve worked so hard to build.”

Slowly reaching back, she felt for the sword.

“What are you talking about?” she asked.

“Oh, the prophecy -- but you wouldn’t know anything about that.”  Waving dismissively, Set gave her a crooked grin.  “I never believed all the stories old Shait said, but when I saw your knives --”  He held one up and admired its razor sharp edge.  “These knives, shaped like the crescent moon -- I knew who you were.  The Blade of Ruin, come to destroy me, unless you became mine.  So I’m giving you one last chance.  Be my queen...?”

When her fingers touched the sword, she slowly and carefully gripped the hilt.

“Let me think about that.” She pretended to consider as her muscles tensed like a coiled spring.  Throwing herself at him, she yelled, “No!”

Caught by surprise, Set’s mouth fell open as she plunged the blade into his side.  Dropping the knives, he stared at her, then down at the sword sticking out of his body.  “You... you....”

“Yeah.  Me.”  She grinned as he staggered back from her.

He snarled at her through clenched teeth.  “I won’t forget this, Mazikeen.  I’ll avenge myself upon you and your blind man someday.”  Growling like an animal, the god yanked the blade from his body and clutched his bleeding side.

A bright light suddenly poured into the room from the multitude of windows, blinding her.  For long minutes she stood there, trying to adjust to the glare.  When she was finally able to open her eyes again, Set was gone.  Around her, the throne room’s polished floors shone brightly and the walls glowed white from the afternoon sunlight pouring in from the windows.  Running to one of the openings, Maze gazed up at the sky.  The storm that perpetuated night was clearing, letting the sun break through the parting clouds.

Shouts below caught her attention, and she glanced down in the courtyard to see gods and goddesses dancing in the sunshine.  A smile touched the demon’s face before she winced at her bloody leg.  Tearing some linen off of her dress, she quickly bound her wound, then limped to the place where she had last seen Set.  Bending down, she picked up her knives and fingered them.  She was glad that she was free of the god, and yet she felt a little melancholy, too... perhaps because she didn’t know how she was going to fix things with Lucifer.

But she could help him with Sekhmet, and maybe that would return things to how they had been before...?  Once Chloe was well, he would forgive her... right?  Giving her knives a twirl, she headed toward Sekhmet’s chamber.

 

 


	22. Confrontation with Sekhmet

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A big thank you to my wonderful beta, ScooterThyme!

 

 

“So you’ve come.”  Sekhmet’s voice rang out across the room.

Lucifer gave a short nod of his head, a slight smile on his face as he leaned against the door behind him.  “So I have.”  He started walking toward the voice, hoping that there wasn’t anything in front of him that would have him faceplanting onto the tiled floor.  Wouldn’t _that_ make a fine impression?  “I believe we were going to have a little chat, you and I.”

The goddess snarled, her footsteps growing louder as she approached.  The scent of black licorice enveloped him.  “You were supposed to die.”

“Yes, well, that didn’t work, so why don’t we have that talk, instead?”  He threw a charming grin in her direction.

With a snort, she circled him, the fabric of her dress swishing in the stillness.  He could still hear Maze fighting in the other room, but the sounds now seemed far away as all his senses concentrated on the goddess.  Her finger ran across the breadth of his chest from shoulder to shoulder, sending a chill down his spine.  He suppressed a shudder at her light touch.

She leaned close, her warm breath caressing his ear.  “You’re a bold one.  I shall enjoy playing with you.”

Pain shot through his jaw as Sekhmet struck him across the face.  As he staggered back, he cried, “Didn’t anyone tell you not to strike a blind man?”

A hard blow landed on his chest, sending him flying across the room.  He fell against a low table, which buckled under him.  Shaking his head to clear it, he muttered, “Apparently not.”

Coughing, he scrambled to his feet. Before he could even move, she was on him, lifting him over her head and tossing him like a rag doll.  Lucifer hit the floor hard, shattering tile, and the momentum sent him sliding across the floor.  When he finally came to a halt, he lay there gasping, struggling to catch his breath.

“Insolent dog!”  Her angry voice echoed throughout the room.

“Well, I’ll agree to the insolent part,” he said as he lurched to his feet.  “I’d really prefer a sit-down to an all-out brawl --”

“Shut up!” she screamed, running toward him.  The fallen angel stood still, listening carefully, before throwing himself to one side just as she lunged at him.  He heard her crash into the furniture behind him as he stumbled out of the way.  Her roar of anger echoed through the room.

Lucifer pursed his lips.  “Right.  All-out brawl it is.”

Spreading out his wings, he took on a fighting stance.  He held his feathered appendages wide and listened carefully to the sounds around him.  There -- the whisper of her dress, to his right -- and footsteps, fast approaching.  With a sweep of his wings, he struck out in a wide arc.  He heard her cry out as he made contact, hitting her hard and tossing her to one side.

Something rock-like struck him in the chest, knocking him off his feet.  As he crashed to the floor, he heard pieces of furniture clatter around him.  A vase struck the tiles near his head, sending shards flying all over.  Bloody hell!  How could he fight her if she was just going to throw things at him?

Right -- he’d put an end to this.  Reaching up to his shoulder, he grabbed his little star and started to overload it with power, as he had done in the arena.  Before he could get very far, however, Sekhmet barrelled into him, throwing him off his feet.  As he went down hard, his little star flew from his hand at the impact.  The goddess straddled his chest and punched him in the face, over and over.

“That parlor trick won’t work on me!” she snapped.

Lucifer grabbed at the fists raining down on him and managed to catch her wrists.  Holding them away from him, he snarled, “Will you stop hitting me?!”

“With pleasure!”

Monstrous teeth bit him in the shoulder, sending agony shooting through his chest, neck and down his left arm.  The goddess laughed after she yanked her teeth from his body, then licked his bloody wound.  Repulsed, the fallen angel released her wrists, grabbed her around the waist and threw her from him.  He heard her scream as she crashed into the floor some distance away.

Pulling himself to his feet, he stalked toward the area where he could hear her struggling to rise.  Bloody hell, if only he could see!  Hoping to catch some part of the prone goddess, he reached down and groped about until he had grabbed her ankle.  With a hard tug, he slid her toward him, but she kicked out with her powerful legs.  A sharp blow to his midsection doubled him over, and she tackled him.  Landing in a heap, they rolled on the floor, each one battling for dominance.

“You burn with hatred!” she yelled.  Her hand grabbed at his neck, burning his throat like a torch.  “I feel it -- someone has done you a great misdeed!”  When he paused at her words, she struck him across the face.  “I feel your hatred!”

“You know nothing of my hatred!” he yelled back as he grappled with her, finally getting her under him.

“You and I are the same.  You burn with rage as much as I do.  Revel in it! Indulge in it! Let it become your life’s blood, flowing through every inch of your body.  Come, be one with me.  You will be a god, ruling by my side, with the whole world at your fingertips.”

Lucifer leaned over her with his shaking fist poised, ready to strike.  He could hear the hunger and excitement in her voice.  It would be so easy to let the rage consume him.  He had so much of it -- so much hate toward Penelope for poisoning Chloe, toward his unknown sibling for providing her with the means to harm his family, and most of all, toward himself.  Anger, self-loathing and disgust at the destroyer he was.  He had ruined Chloe’s life, Maze’s life.  Who would be next?  Beatrice?  Emrys?  The scent of earthy and bitter incense wound around him, dulling his senses, stealing his ability to think.  All he felt was rage, white hot and burning, as Sekhmet ran her hands up and down his bandaged chest, feeding the anger with her power.

Then, almost as if she was whispering into his ear, he heard Chloe’s voice in his head.

_I love you, Lucifer Morningstar.  You’re my angel who lit the stars - my warm, kind-hearted Devil.  You’re the reason why I came here, remember?  I fell in love with a good man.  Don’t let that good man be buried under so much rage that he ceases to exist._

Chloe -- his life.  His soul.  His everything.

At the thought of his wife, ice worked its way through his insides, bringing him to his senses.  What was he _doing?!_

Slowly he lowered his fist and pulled himself off of the goddess.

“What happened?  Where has your rage gone?”  Sekhmet grabbed at his arms, but he brushed her away as he sat to one side and took several deep breaths.

“Away... for now.”

“But -- but how can you put your anger aside?  You are like me!”  He heard the shock in her voice.

He lurched to his feet and backed away a few steps.  “I’m like you, yes... but I choose who I am, _how_ I am.”  The rustle of clothes sounded very loud in the quiet room as Sekhmet rose.

“What do you mean?”  Devoid of the hunger that she had displayed earlier, her voice was full of curiosity, as if his sudden reticence had become a puzzle she needed to solve.

He turned, a derisive smile on his lips.  “It would be so easy to fall into my anger and let it define me... but I am Lucifer Morningstar, and _I_ define me.”

“You think my rage defines me?”

He lifted an eyebrow, wincing at the pain that lanced through his head at the action.  “Doesn’t it?”  At her silence, he took a step toward her.  “Look at yourself.  Is this who you really are?”

She made a scoffing noise.  “Of course it is.  I am Sekhmet --”

“Now.  But what about before?”

“B-before?”

“You’ve lost yourself in your anger.”  When she said nothing, he sighed.  “I heard that you were once Hathor.  What happened to her?”

Sharp steps suddenly punctuated the air as she walked away from him.  “Hathor is dead.”

“Because your rage destroyed her.  You let so much anger and hatred bury you that she ceased to exist.”  Nodding to himself, he took a few steps toward her, then spoke in soothing tones.  “Why don’t you tell me what happened?”

“You wish to listen?  To me?”  The goddess’s voice was bitter.  “I find that hard to believe.”

“It... it is hard to believe, even for me.”  Heat rushed into his cheeks.  Averting his face, he ran a shaking hand through his hair.  “A long time ago, I should have talked to someone -- listened to her -- but I didn’t.  I took her for granted and did whatever I pleased, believing that she wanted what I wanted.  I’ve come to find out that I was mistaken.”  He took a deep breath and turned back in her direction.  “Right.  I can’t change the past, but at least I can listen now.”

For a long moment there was nothing but silence.  When Sekhmet spoke, her voice trembled.  “My husband and I used to be happy.  We enjoyed life to the fullest.  We loved each other -- or at least... I loved him.  Then I found out he had abandoned me for a consort.  A consort!  After everything we had shared, he betrayed me and cast me off like a used toy!”  Her tone grew hard.  “So I punished them -- buried them in cells in the desert and let them rot.  I hate them. _Hate them!”_

Lucifer was at a loss for words. How did one deal with a scorned woman?  This was not his forte.  He would have done exactly as she had, for he was a punisher and her sentence had been just.  But then in his mind’s eye he saw Chloe in bed, leaning over him as she stroked his cheek.  Concentrating very hard, he felt the brush of her fingertips against his skin, and heard her tender voice.

_Lucifer, you can’t hang on to this kind of hatred.  It’s not good for you.  It will eat you up on the inside and leave nothing but a burnt out husk...._

Ahhh, Chloe.  Always the wise one.

Right.  He could help Sekhmet -- he just had to channel his wife.  “I know how much it hurts to be betrayed.  I’ve had experiences with that.”  Biting his lip, he swallowed past the lump in his throat at the memory of being betrayed by his celestial family, by Maze, by almost everyone, except Chloe -- his shining light.  “You have to let it go.  Anger is corrosive -- it will eat you alive, if you let it.”

“Let it go?!  How am I supposed to let it go?  He betrayed me!”  Her wail was full of hurt and sorrow.

He cocked his head at her.  “Your anger is destroying you.  Is he really worth the cost?”

She hesitated before answering.  “No.  But....”

“But?”

“How do I let this go?”  She suddenly sounded very lost, very young.

“Right.”  He took a deep breath as a slight smile lifted his lips.  “Someone very wise once told me to find compassion in my heart and forgive.  I believe that’s what you need to do.  It’s the only way you’ll be able to let go.”

Sekhmet snorted.  “Compassion?  I have none.”

“I used to think that of myself, as well.”  He reached out, feeling his way in the air until he encountered her arm.  Fumbling a bit, he grasped her hand.  “You’re far better than me, I know you are.”

“Can _you_ forgive the one who made you so angry?” she asked.

He had to stop and think about that.  Looking deep into his heart, he found that his love for his wife outweighed everything, even his deepest rage.  Chloe had asked him to forgive her mother -- and for her sake, he would do it.  It would kill him and definitely leave a bitter taste in his mouth, but her happiness meant everything to him.  “I believe I can.  So please... try.”

Standing there and feeling foolish, the fallen angel wondered if anything he said was doing any good, or if she would just turn around and rip his heart out.  He shifted from foot to foot, then rubbed the back of his neck with his free hand.  As he waited, he noticed that the bitter, earthy incense he associated with Sekhmet was fading.  In its place came a soft floral, yet green, fragrance.  The goddess squeezed his fingers once, then let go.

The bang of a door made Lucifer jump.  Turning at the sound, he lifted his wings as he prepared for a new threat.

“Lucifer!”

 _Maze._  He relaxed as he heard her walk up to him.

“Where’s Sekhmet?” she asked.

His brow furrowed.  Couldn’t she see the goddess standing next to him?  He opened his mouth to answer when a new, unfamiliar voice spoke from beside him.

“She Who Mauls is gone.”  The tone was light -- melodious and full of joy.  “I am Hathor.”

 

 


	23. Horus and Ta-Bitjet

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A big thank you to my wonderful beta, ScooterThyme!!

 

 

“I am Hathor.”

At the sound of the goddess’s name, Lucifer felt a rush of relief pour through him.  His legs lost their strength, but he managed to stay on his feet.  At last, he’d be able to find Ta-Bitjet and get the antidote for Chloe!  And he’d finally be able to go home and take a nice hot shower to get rid of all the bloody sand between his feathers.  He broke into a wide grin.

“You’re Hathor?” asked Maze as her footsteps drew near.

At the desire in the demon’s voice, the smile fell from the fallen angel’s face and he suppressed the urge to cover his bandaged eyes.  Hadn’t he told her not to look directly at the gods of this plane?  Well, at least the fighting was over, from what he could glean from the lack of sound around them, so perhaps it wasn’t too bad that she was overcome by the goddess’s appearance.

“That is correct,” came the melodious answer beside him.  “And you are...?”

“Mazikeen of the Lilim, but you might know me as the Blade of Ruin.”  The demon’s prideful voice surprised Lucifer, but he shrugged it off.  Of course she’d be proud of the title, if she intended to stay.  There was a pause, before she finally said, “Wow, I gotta say... you’re really beautiful.”

A gusty sigh escaped Lucifer.  “Seriously, Maze?  I thought we had been through this...?”

“Well, yeah, but her cow’s head really turns me on --”

Dumbfounded, Lucifer could hardly find words to speak. “Cow’s head.”

“Oh yeah.”  Maze took a deep, loud breath, the air whistling between her teeth.  “It’s super hot.”

Hathor laughed brightly, bringing to the fallen angel’s mind the image of summer days at the beach with Chloe.  His heart instantly lifted at the sound, even though he scowled in his demon’s direction.  “Well, save the sex for later.  Now is not the time.”  He started to speak, broke off, then took a deep breath and started again.  “Speaking of sex -- what... what happened to Set?”

“Yes, what of Set?”  Hathor asked.  “I am surprised he is not here.”

“He’s gone.  He disappeared when the sun came out.”

Lucifer sensed there was a great deal Maze wasn’t saying, but didn’t pursue the subject.  Maybe she was grieving for the god?  His stomach churned at the thought.

A touch on his arm had him turning toward the goddess.  “Thank you for bringing me back.  I am deeply in your debt.”

Heat flooded his cheeks, making his face hot.  “Yes, well... I need your help.”  Lucifer swallowed hard.  “My wife has been poisoned, and I heard that Ta-Bitjet is the only one who has an antidote that could save her.  Please....”  He tried not to sound as desperate as he felt.  “Can you tell me where I can find her?”

“Of course -- it is the least I can do.  I will take you to her myself.”

He let out the breath he hadn’t realized he had been holding.  “Thank you.”

 

 

________________________________________

 

 

Lucifer was surprised at how quickly the ride to the desert was organized.  Before he knew it, they had set out on a chariot that rode faster than the wind.  It was a bumpy, tooth-jarring ride, and he was hardpressed to stay in the carriage -- although his little star didn’t seem to mind the turbulence.  After having recovered it following the battle, the fallen angel had put it on its usual perch on his shoulder, and now he could feel it dance merrily.  Lucifer shook his head.  Well, at least one of them was happy -- he was too anxious about getting to Ta-Bitjet to express such joy.

While he rode with Hathor, Maze had opted to ride on one of the horses.  When they finally slowed, he heard the demon call out to the goddess.  “Things would be a ton easier if Lucifer could see.  You got any healers in this place?”

“I’m sorry, but no,” Hathor said, regret lacing her words.  “Sekhmet is our only healer, when she is in a favorable mood.  I am the goddess of love, joy and fertility, and have no such powers.”

Maze’s voice grew harsh.  “Well, crap, that sucks!  What good is all that junk if you can’t heal someone when they’re hurt?  And what the hell kind of weird joint are you people running, that you make a frightening goddess like Sekhmet a  _ healer?!” _

Hathor sighed.  “It was a way to temper her killing instinct.  I’m sorry, but she is gone.  I can try to summon her, but I cannot guarantee that she will let me return --”

“No!”  Lucifer interrupted as his heart fluttered in his chest.  He did not want to have another run-in with  _ her _ again.  “No, no Sekhmet.  I had a bloody hard time getting her to leave.”  He turned to the goddess.  “Are we almost there?”

“We are here.”

The chariot pulled to a stop, then Hathor took a hold of Lucifer and helped him off the vehicle.  He stumbled when his feet touched the ground, but the goddess’s grip on his arm was firm and steadying, and he quickly found his feet.  The air was getting cooler, and the touch of sunlight on his skin did not seem as warm.

“I don’t see anything,” Maze said.

“You will.”

Hathor spoke a few words under her breath.  Lucifer blinked as the smell of floral incense grew stronger, and he resisted the urge to rub his nose as the scent wound around him, burning his nostrils.  A rumbling caught him off guard, low and deep, like the very earth was groaning in great pain, and then came the sound of rain.  Only... he couldn’t smell the familiar odor of moisture in the air.  The fallen angel lifted his head as the scent of dust hit him, then realized that what he was hearing was the lashing of pouring sand.  Maze swore beside him.

“What do you see?” he asked his demon quietly.

“The ground... it opened up like a giant maw, and two metal boxes about twenty feet apart have risen to the surface.  Now the sand is rushing back to fill in the hole and turning solid.”

“Everything constantly changes in the desert.”  Hathor took Lucifer’s arm and led him across the sand.  “Come.  Let us free Horus and Ta-Bitjet.”

“You put them in  _ there?!” _  Maze sounded shocked.  Lucifer wondered why his demon sounded so horrified.

“Sekhmet is not kind,” Hathor said, her voice quavering.  “Let us hope Ta-Bitjet still lives.”

Dread tightened Lucifer’s stomach as he walked, his heart growing heavy as his feet sunk into the soft sand.  What if Ta-Bitjet was dead?  Had he come all this way, only to fail?  And if that was the case, how was he ever going to face Chloe?  He tightened his hands into fists to stop them from trembling.  It would be all right.  It had to be.

When they stopped, Lucifer reached out, expecting a door, but his fingers encountered a box with its top at about waist high.  Puzzled, he ran his hands over it.  The metal container’s sides were no more than three feet long.  The blood drained from his face as he realized that the gods had been put into cells no larger than a crate... for centuries.

Hathor spoke some words under her breath, then brushed the fallen angel’s hands away.  The sound of tortured metal shrieked in the air, and he swiftly covered his ears.  Maze gasped.

“Oh, Horus, my love!  Forgive me!” Hathor cried.  Never more had Lucifer wished for his sight.  He wondered what it was they saw.  The goddess’s voice grew weepy.  “Please, wake up!”

“Maze, what’s happening?” he asked.

“The god in the box...  I think he’s dead --”

“He is not dead!” snapped Hathor.  “He yet lives!  It is true that his skin is somewhat cold, but there is still breath in him, I can feel it!  If he was dead, the sun would no longer shine.  My husband is the god of light.  There must yet be a spark in him -- there must!”

Lucifer bit his lower lip.  If Horus died, would Sekhmet return and take her revenge on Ta-Bitjet?  He couldn’t afford to have the god die -- there was too much at stake.  Gently nudging Hathor aside, he reached into the box, and was surprised to encounter feathers.  He almost yanked his hand back, afraid he was touching wings.  Was Horus an angel?

“He has a falcon’s head,” whispered Maze.  “A totally hot falcon’s head.  What are you reaching for?”

The fallen angel took a deep breath.  “His heart.  Maybe I can feel something, see if he still lives.”  He smiled crookedly.  “I am the Lightbringer, after all.”

Maze took his wrist and tugged gently.  Lucifer let himself be guided until his hand encountered cold, clammy skin.  Frowning, he wondered if he’d be able to sense any spark within Horus.  If he was the god of light, surely there would be something there...?  The fallen angel’s brow furrowed as he concentrated.  His stomach twisted.  He couldn’t feel anything....

No wait.   _ There. _

Reaching up, Lucifer plucked his happy little star from his shoulder and held it at eye level.  Even though he couldn’t see it with his ruined eyes, he imagined the little flame pausing in curiosity as he addressed it.  “Well, little one, it’s time for you to find a new home.”

Gently closing his palm around the light, he then leaned down and placed his hand on Horus’s chest.  The power bled through his fingers as his star passed from his hand into the god’s chest and ignited the tiny flicker of light into a roaring blaze.  The smell of strong, musky incense suddenly filled the air.

A loud, gasping breath broke the silence.  Hathor cried Horus’s name and pushed Lucifer to one side.  Sweat broke out upon the Devil’s brow.  Had he killed the god by accident?  It would be just his luck if he had -- nothing ever went well for him.

But no -- Hathor was weeping and laughing at the same time.  Surely that was a good sign?

A hard blow landed on Lucifer’s back, nearly knocking him over.  “Good job,” Maze said with a smile in her voice.

“He lives?” he asked quietly.

“He does.”

“Splendid.”  He raised his voice and directed it toward the weeping goddess.  “I’m sorry to interrupt this lovely reunion, but mayhap we can get to Ta-Bitjet now?”

“A son of Yahweh....” a deep voice boomed, a threat in its tone.  “What is he doing here?”

“He just saved your life,” Hathor said.  “I know you are disoriented --”

“Do  _ not _ tell me my life is indebted to a son of the Usurper!”  The deep voice grew suspicious.  “Why are you defending him, wife?  Have you betrayed me with that cur?”

“Betr-- of course not!  And you dare to accuse me of betrayal, after what you did with Ta-Bitjet?!”

“I am perfectly within my rights to make her my consort.  I am the king!  But how dare you have a dalliance with that... that disgusting creature!”

“Don’t talk about him that way!  You have no right, after what you put me through --”

“What  _ I _ put  _ you _ through?!  You --”

Lucifer could see where this was going, and it was nowhere good.  “Right.  As much as I hate to interrupt, we really need to put our differences aside for now and get --”

“Silence, little bug!”  The booming voice grew deeper, louder.  “I am Horus, king of this domain!  You dare to raise your voice to me?!”

Maze’s snarl suddenly cut through the air.  “Listen, you idiot, if it wasn’t for that ‘little bug,’ you’d be dead in your box!  We went through a lot of trouble to get you free!”

“And it is your infidelity that caused this problem in the first place!”  Hathor’s voice dropped several octaves, sounding more and more like a giant, angry cat.  Lucifer lifted his nose as he smelled the incense in the air.  It was changing, growing more bitter --

“Stop shouting at each other!” he cried, blindly grabbing at Hathor -- if she even  _ was _ Hathor anymore -- and shoved her behind him protectively.  He couldn’t see the god of light, but he could hear him stumbling against the sides of the box.  “Horus, now is not the time to be arguing.  Do you want Sekhmet to return?”

Turning in place, Lucifer pulled the goddess into his arms and held her tightly in a soothing embrace.  He hoped it wasn’t too late to keep the angry goddess away.  “It’s all right, Hathor.  Hang onto yourself.   _ Hang on.” _

“You dare to touch my wife?” Horus yelled at him.

“You’re not treating her like a wife, are you?” Lucifer snapped back.  “If you don’t want to find yourself back in your box, you best start thanking her for freeing you!”

For a long moment the fallen angel could feel the air vibrating with hostility and tension.  Then, almost like a sigh, it eased.  “Hathor... wife.  I am sorry.  I am not thinking clearly.”

The smell of bitterness in the air eased, changing into something sweet and floral.  “I’m sorry for imprisoning you for all these years,” the goddess said.  “But you should apologize to the son of Yahweh.  You would be dead if not for him.”

“My apologies.”  There was a wealth of resentment in Horus’s voice.

Lucifer heard the belligerent tone, but at this point didn’t care.  As long as Sekhmet stayed away, everything would work out.  Bowing his head in acknowledgement, he gently released Hathor and addressed her.  “Can we get Ta-Bitjet now?”

“Oh yes.  Come.”  She took his hand and started leading him away.

“What do you want with my consort?!” boomed Horus once again.

The fallen angel wished with all his might that he had his sight back, for then he could punch the god in the face.  Maybe Maze could do it for him...?  They had only walked a short distance when he heard a thump from behind him and Horus cursing.  A smile grew on his face.  Perhaps his demon had read his mind.

Ahead of him, the sound of screeching metal rent the air.  Holding his breath, he waited, hoping that Ta-Bitjet was still alive.  Long minutes passed.  Lucifer shifted his weight from side to side as he waited for someone -- anyone -- to speak.

“Am...I ... alive?” a thin, hoarse voice asked.  Then: “My lady?”

“Yes, Ta-Bitjet.  You are alive,” Hathor said.

“Ta-Bitjet!” Horus yelled from behind Lucifer.  A hard shove to the fallen angel’s side knocked him to the ground as the god pushed past him.  “My love!”

“That guy’s an ass,” Maze growled as she helped the Devil to his feet.  “I thought he was handsome, but he’s a complete dick.”

“I couldn’t agree with you more.”  He pursed his lips.  “How does Ta-Bitjet look?”

“It’s hard to tell with her giant sexy scorpion’s head.”  Maze made a purring sound in the back of her throat before continuing.  “But she looks far better than Horus did when we first found him.  That oaf is all over her.”

Lucifer swallowed at that piece of information, then asked, “And how does Hathor look?”

“Broken-hearted.”

Lucifer sighed unhappily.  He wanted to help Hathor -- she deserved better -- but there was nothing he could do, and it wasn’t any of his business, anyway.  He had his wife to cure!  Stumbling until Maze helped guide him, he made his way forward.

“I hate to interrupt, but I need Ta-Bitjet’s help.”

A hard shove against his chest pushed him back.  “Go away, little bug.  She is mine.”

“Horus, show some gratitude!  He saved your life!”  Hathor’s voice gentled.  “Lucifer, I am sorry for my husband’s behavior.”

“It’s all right,” the fallen angel said soothingly.  “It’s not your fault your husband’s a douche.”

“I know not what this ‘douche’ is, but it offends me,” Horus boomed.

Ignoring the god, the fallen angel said, “Ta-Bitjet, I need your help.  My wife has been poisoned and I was told that you have a panacea to cure her.”

The hoarse voice was harsh.  “I do, but you are a son of Yahweh.  I do not deal with any of that god’s ilk.”

Lucifer cursed.  Bloody hell, it looked like Dad was still mucking things up for him, even when he wasn’t anywhere nearby!  To come all this way and go through all that he had, only to be rejected  because he was Dad’s child burned like acid in his gut.  He wanted to throw things.

“You will help him,” Hathor’s sharp voice commanded.  “He has saved us all, even if you do not yet realize it.  You would not be free, if not for him.”

There was a long pause.  Lucifer shifted from foot to foot, trying his best not to look too anxious.  He could feel the scorpion goddess’s eyes on him, evaluating what she saw.

“Then I owe him a great deal,” Ta-Bitjet finally said.  “I will do as you ask, my lady.”

 

 

________________________________________

  
  


 

The ride back to the palace seemed even faster than the earlier journey.  Horus had insisted on riding with Hathor and Ta-Bitjet in the chariot, so Lucifer rode behind Maze on her horse.  The fallen angel preferred it that way.  Had he ridden in the chariot with that pompous idiot full of hot air, he would have shoved him out of the moving vehicle and hoped that Maze’s horse would trample him.

Once they returned to the palace, Horus ran off to meet with his subjects, bellowing to anyone who would listen about how great he was.  Good riddance, Lucifer thought as Hathor led the rest of them to the outer balcony at the back of her chambers.  Maze had lost the tupperware containers she had brought when Set had given her a change of clothes, but luckily Hathor had a stoppered jar which she gave to Ta-Bitjet.

After pacing anxiously for a few minutes, Lucifer was relieved to hear the quiet shuffling of feet approaching.  A vanilla-like scent swirled around him as Ta-Bitjet came to a halt before him.  Soft fingers lifted one of his hands and placed a jar in it.  When he reached over to steady the container, his hand brushed hers.  He was surprised to feel cloth wrapped around her palm.  A bandage...?  It hadn’t been there before -- he would have felt it when he had helped her out of her prison box.

“This will cure your wife.  Since I do not know what kind of poison she has been afflicted with, have her drink it all.” Ta-Bitjet said.

“I cannot thank you enough.”  Lucifer smiled in her direction.  “But if we need more, how do we make this panacea?”

“You cannot.  It is my blood.  You will have to return for more.”

“Oh.”  He blinked as he listened to the soft footsteps of the goddess fade into the distance.

“So Chloe’s going to be a vampire?” Maze asked, bringing a scowl to the fallen angel’s face.  “Cool!”

“Lucifer, Mazikeen, thank you for all you have done,” Hathor said quietly.  “You have returned sunlight to us, and you brought me back to myself.  And thanks to you, Horus lives.”

The fallen angel frowned.  He didn’t like the thought of leaving the sweet goddess with that buffoon of a husband she had.  “Will you be all right?”

“I... think so.  I just wish....”  She broke off.

He waited for her to continue, but when she didn’t, he prompted, “What?”

She let out a small laugh that sounded sad and bitter at the same time.  “I wish that you could stay.”

His heart squeezed at her statement, and he softened his voice to ease the blow of his words.  “I love my wife, and she needs me.”

Hathor laughed again, and Lucifer’s heart ached at the pain he heard in it.  “I know.  You are a good man.”

The fallen angel shook his head sadly.  “No, not a good man.”   _ A punisher.  A destroyer of lives. _

She squeezed his upper arm.  “Yes, you are.  I only wish my husband was as good.”

“You should leave him.  He’s a bloody wanker and you deserve better.”

“Maybe someday, I shall leave.  He has been gone a long time.  Perhaps he has changed.”

The Devil highly doubted it, but wisely held his tongue.

Hathor continued, her voice sad.  “I shall miss you.”

Her soft hand caressed his stubbly cheek before she walked away, her footsteps echoing around him until they faded completely.  Lucifer touched the spot that she had stroked, wishing there was more he could do to help, but knowing that there wasn’t.

“And you were worried about  _ me _ getting it on with the gods on this plane,” Maze said with a snicker.

Pushing away the heaviness in his heart, the fallen angel smirked as he turned toward her voice.  “Well, I  _ am _ the Devil and therefore irresistible, my dear.”  His happiness quickly faded away as he realized what he now had to do, and his insides grew cold.  “Right.  If you want to stay here, I’ll understand --”

“What the hell are you saying?!”  The demon’s tone was sharp.  “You trying to leave me behind?”

“Why no, but....”  He broke off and took a deep breath.  He wanted to do this right.  “I know you like it here.  You... you were attracted to Set, and --”

“I was not!  You  _ are _ trying to leave me behind!”

“I most certainly am not trying to leave you behind -- I’m trying to do right by you!”  His chest heaved as a trembling ran through his body and set his heart thumping.  “I didn’t give you a choice before, but I’m giving one to you now.  You don’t have to follow me, Maze.  You can stay here and be a goddess.  I’ll respect your decision.  I just want you to be happy.”

The Devil bit his lower lip during the long, shocked silence that ensued.  When Maze finally spoke, her voice had gentled.  “Lucifer, I’m happy with you.  I know I wasn’t when we first got to Earth, but I am now.  Those things I said....  I don’t know why I said them --”

“Because they were the truth --”

“Maybe at one time, but not now.  You’re family -- you, Chloe, Trixie, and baby Emrys.  And I have my sexy beast.  I wouldn’t trade any of that for godhood.  No way.  Earth is my home now.”

Heat flowed into the fallen angel’s cheeks.  The tightness finally loosened in his chest and he smiled.  “Well... I’m glad.  Frankly, Maze, I wouldn’t have been happy leaving you here, but I want you to have your own life, be your own person.”

“I do, and I am.”  He heard the smile in her voice.  “Now let’s go cure your wife.”

Lucifer broke into a grin.  “You don’t have to tell me twice!”  Handing the bottle to Maze, he swung her up into his arms.  “Can you navigate us back home?”

“Of course I can!”  She chuckled.  “You’d never survive without my help.”

Warmth spread through the fallen angel’s chest.  “You have that right.”  With that, he leaped into the air and took them home.

 

 


	24. Returning Home

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A big thank you to my wonderful beta, ScooterThyme!

 

 

The trip home was... interesting, to say the least.

Although he had flown blind around the Valley of the Gods with Maze, those trips had been short -- harrowing, but short.   Now they were heading back to Earth and he didn’t have any experience flying long distances without sight.  Even when he was a young angel, he had never tried flying with his eyes closed.  His heart pounded in his chest, but he took a deep breath to steady it.  He remembered how he had gotten to Kumat, so it was just a matter of telling Maze how to go back the way they came... right?

After a particularly turbulent flight and a lot of cursing and yelling on Maze’s part, they somehow made it back to Earth.  The fallen angel was thankful they hadn’t ended up on some hostile god’s plane by accident.  While Maze ooohed and ahhhed over the night lights of Los Angeles sparkling below them, Lucifer worried about the upcoming landing on the penthouse.  It was one thing to land at Malibu where the sand could cushion their hard impact -- he had no illusions it would be anything but that -- but the penthouse was tile, steel and wood.  It wouldn’t be soft at all.

“We could land at the beach,” Maze said yet again.  “Go a little to your left -- I think I see the penthouse.”

The fallen angel banked slightly as he frowned.  “Right.  And I told you, that’s just a waste of time.  Chloe’s been waiting long enough.  We’re going straight to her.”

“You gotta drop down a bit, you’re flying too high!  She’s been waiting all this time.  I doubt a half hour would make a diff-- pull up!  Pull up!”

Swearing, Lucifer pushed upwards.

“Too much!” screeched Maze.

“Bloody hell, will you make up your mind?!”

“Dammit, Lucifer, stop trying to kill us!  I swear -- slow down!   _ Slow down!” _

The next thing he knew, they were hitting the tile of the penthouse balcony hard.  He twisted to protect his demon as best he could as tile shattered around him and flew into the air.  With a hard thump that sent vibrations rippling throughout the building, they slammed to a stop against the penthouse wall.

Shaking his head sharply to clear it, Lucifer slowly became aware of the sound of footsteps running up.  Hands grabbing at him in the darkness startled him, and he batted them away.  His heart fluttered at the thought of Maze and the antidote.  “Maze?  Maze, are you hurt?”

“I’m okay, no thanks to you.”  Her voice was filled with resentment.

Dust tickled Lucifer’s nose and the sound of hard slaps filled the air as the demon brushed the debris from her clothes.  His stomach twisted.  “And the antidote?”

Her tone softened.  “It’s fine.”

“You got the antidote?”  Amenadiel’s baritone was filled with excitement.

“Have Chloe drink all of it,” Lucifer said as his brother helped him to his feet.  Without warning, a little body barreled into him, and small arms wrapped tightly around his waist.

“Daddy!  I missed you!”

Smiling, he hugged Trixie back as warmth flooded his insides.  “I missed you too, child.”

She gave a distressed cry.  “What happened to your eyes?”

Fumbling a bit, the fallen angel stroked the little girl’s hair.  “Nothing your mother can’t fix.”   _ I hope. _  “Let’s go see her, shall we?”  He raised his head and turned left and right.  “Has someone given the antidote to her?”

“Sachiel took the jar,” Maze said.

“Come on, Daddy.  I’ll take you to Mommy.  Emmie is with her, too.”

Lucifer let Trixie lead him through the penthouse.  He found everything so strange and disorienting as he traveled through it without sight.  Shouldn’t he remember where things were?  When his foot caught on an area rug and sent him stumbling, he cursed under his breath.

“Step.”

With the little girl’s help, he navigated the three steps to the master bedroom.  There was a collective gasp as he entered.  He knew he looked bad, but did he look  _ that _ bad?

“Lucifer!” Chloe cried out.  He could hear her trying to rise from the bed.  “What happened to you?!”

“Chloe, drink the antidote first --”  That was Sachiel.

Then the sounds of a struggle.  “My husband needs me!  I don’t have time for --”

“You can barely stand on your own.”  Rafe sounded more stern than he had ever heard him.  “You won’t do him any good if you don’t get well first.”

The fallen angel’s heart pounded in his chest and his insides clenched.  He should have waited until Chloe had taken the antidote before going to see her -- he hadn’t realized that he would cause this much distress.  Feeling the blood drain out of his face, he took a few steps back but forgot about the stairs.  Suddenly the ground wasn’t there anymore.  As his arms windmilled, he fell backwards through space.  With a loud “oof,” he crashed in a heap onto the cold living room tile.  His head went smashing against the floor.  Gasping as pain ripped through his skull and the rest of his body, Lucifer lay still, hoping that eventually the agony would end.

Chloe and Trixie both screamed and there were more sounds he couldn’t identify, then hands gripped his arms.  He gritted his teeth against the throbbing torment in his head as he was helped to his feet.

“You’re so clumsy,” Maze muttered, but her voice was tender.

“You okay, Luci?” Amenadiel asked.

“Lucifer!”  Chloe’s strained voice rang through the air, punctuated by Emrys howling like a banshee.

“I’m all right!” he called back to her.  “Please, dearheart -- just drink the antidote!”  He turned to his brother.  “Help me to the couch, will you?  I... I want to lie down for a bit.”

It seemed to take forever before his shins hit the edge of the couch.  With a relieved sigh, he threw himself onto the cushions and surrendered to the blackness closing in around him.

 

 

________________________________________

 

 

When Lucifer awoke, the world was still black.  He felt the pillow under his head and the blankets covering him, and realized that he was in his own bed.  But why was everything dark?  Was he still blind?  Panic flared within him for a moment, before he realized he could see hints of moonlight coming through the window.  Night -- it was dark because it was night.  With a sigh, he relaxed and turned toward his wife.  His Chloe had given him back his eyes and healed all the horrible wounds in his body.  She had saved his life yet again.

And what had he given her?  Nothing but pain, sorrow, and several near brushes with death.  Taking a deep breath, he squeezed his eyes tightly, then exhaled slowly.  Her life wouldn’t have ever been in danger if it hadn’t been for him.  This had been all his fault.

_ Punisher.  Destroyer. _

“I can hear you thinking,” Chloe mumbled sleepily.

He jumped at her voice, then looked at her.  Now that his eyes were acclimating, he could see the dim outline of his wife on her side, facing him.  His heart ached at the sight of her.  Never before had he been so grateful for his vision.  She looked beautiful... radiant.   _ Alive. _  Reaching out, he gently brushed a lock of hair away from her face. 

“I’m sorry, my dear.  I didn’t mean to wake you.”

With a little groan, she propped her elbow on the bed and rested her head on her hand.  She reached out to stroke his chest.  “What’s bothering you?”

Lucifer bit his lower lip.  There were times when Chloe was far too perceptive for his liking.  “Who says anything is bothering me?”

“I do.  You’re as tight as a bowstring. Any tighter and you’ll snap.”  She patted his chest.  “Come on, husband.  Tell me.”

“I’ve been very worried about you.”  He reached over to caress her cheek.  “How are you feeling?”

He felt her smile against his hand.  “I feel great, thanks to you and the antidote you gave me, although I have to say that the taste left something to be desired.  I can’t thank you enough.”

A sultry smile touched his lips.  “Right.  I do know of one way you can thank me.  Well... maybe several ways.”

“Oh, you do, do you?”  She chuckled as her eyes shone with love.  “My wonderful, handsome Devil -- it’s so good to have you back home.”  She ran her fingers across his skin.  “I’ve been worried sick about you.  Maze filled me in on what happened on Kumat.  How are your eyes now?”

Reaching for her hand, he gave it a squeeze.  His gaze grew soft as he gazed at her.  “As good as new.”

“I’m so glad.”  Her expression grew serious.  “Now tell me what’s bothering you.”

His face fell.  “But what about sex?”

“After you tell me what’s going on.”

He didn’t want to.  His stomach churned as he shifted on the bed.  “It’s late. We can discuss this in the morning --”

“We’ll discuss it now.”  Her eyes glinted in the darkness, and her voice grew sharp.  “Stop avoiding the subject, Lucifer.  Come on, spill it.”

He opened his mouth, then shut it again.  How could he tell her that she deserved someone better?  She would just deny it, even though it was the truth.  “Don’t you think Emrys needs feeding?”  Throwing back the covers, he started to get up, but her hand on his chest grew firm and pinned him down.

“Lucifer.”

He heard the warning in her voice and sighed.  Her fire was wonderful and so stimulating, but it was also something to be reckoned with.  There was no way he was going to be able to avoid the subject.  He closed his eyes.

“I’m sorry.”  At his barely audible whisper, Chloe pulled away suddenly.  For a moment his stomach dropped at her action.  He knew it -- she blamed him entirely for her near-death episode and was disgusted with him already.  He fought the urge to curl up into a little ball and hide under the covers until the end of eternity.

Brilliant light filled the room, blinding him.  It took him a moment to realize that his wife had turned on the lamp on the nightstand.  As he covered his eyes and blinked rapidly, trying desperately to see, he felt her return to his side.  Squinting through the light, he saw her scowling at him.

“You’re sorry?  What do you mean, you’re sorry?  Are you keeping secrets from me?”  Her eyes spat aqua fire as she glared at him.  “You better tell me what’s going on with you or I’ll get rid of our diaper washing service and have you handwash Emmie’s diapers for a month.”

Lucifer’s mouth dropped open.  “You wouldn’t.”

She lifted her chin.  “Try me.”

“You’re cruel.”  He glowered at her, then broke out into a grin sure to charm her down to her toes.  “Lucifer likes!  Well, not the part about Emrys’s nappies, but your devious idea --”

_ “Lucifer.” _

He looked away and bit his lower lip.

Her hand was gentle as she touched his chin and turned him back toward her.  She cocked her head at him, her eyes full of sadness.  “Why won’t you talk to me?  Have I done something to upset you?”

“Of course not!”  The words burst from his lips.  His heart fluttered at her distress as the blood rushed from his face.  He gripped her hand on his chest and brought it to his lips.  “No, dearheart, you are nothing but good.  You’ve done nothing --”

“Then what is it?”

He didn’t want to tell her, but he had no choice.  His heart felt like a lead weight as he took a deep breath and let it out slowly.  He could do this -- be brave and do the right thing.  He wanted to do right by her, give her the chance to have a happy life -- which meant a life without him in it.

“Right.  I... I’ve been nothing but trouble to you since Day One, like an albatross around your neck,” he said quietly.  When she gasped and started to speak, he silenced her with a finger to her lips.  “No, hear me out, love.  Your mother was right -- I’ve brought you a wealth of pain and suffering.  Because of me, you almost died several times -- and this time was no different.  I don’t...  I can’t --”

She threw herself on his chest and held him tight.  “I didn’t die, Lucifer.  You saved me, like you always do --”

“But what if I can’t the next time?  What if -- ”  His eyes began to burn with tears, so he squeezed them tightly and swallowed hard at the lump in his throat.  “You’re my life, Chloe.  I couldn’t bear it if something should happen to you.”

“Nothing’s going to happen, Lucifer,” she said forcefully.  “What happened wasn’t your fault --”

“It was.  Is.  All my fault.  I’m a destroyer --”

“You are not --”

“I  _ am.” _  He kissed her hair.  “I don’t want to destroy your life.  I’ve ruined so much already.  It’s about time I did something about it.”  He studied his wife as he blinked back the tears welling in his eyes. “Come morning, I’ll leave you and the children.”

Chloe’s arms tightened around him.  “No.”

He sighed.  He knew she would put up a fight, but this was one battle he couldn’t afford to lose.  “There’s no hope for me, love -- I’m cursed.  I’ll just bring you nothing but unhappiness --”

_ “No.” _  She looked up at him, her expression fiercer than he had ever seen it.  “That’s a bunch of crap and you know it.  The best days of my life have been with you.  I won’t let you destroy us because of something my mother told you.  She’s wrong, Lucifer.   _ Wrong. _  I love you and nothing’s going to change that.”

“But don’t you see?”  He gripped her upper arms to set her aside, but she clung to him tightly.  “Please, Chloe, listen to me.  I couldn’t bear being the one who caused your death.  As long as you’re alive somewhere on Earth, I can survive.  I can’t if you’re gone.”

She let out an exasperated sigh.  “Lucifer, I’m a  _ cop. _  I could die tomorrow whether I’m with you or not.  I refuse to let you leave on some misguided notion that staying away from me will keep me alive.  My being alive has nothing to do with you.  And I’ll be  _ damned _ if I’m going to let you walk out of that door and ruin the best thing that’s ever happened to me.”

“But --”

“No buts.”  She glared at him.  “We built a beautiful life together. Sure, there have been a lot of celestial shenanigans, but I wouldn’t change a single thing.” She gave him a saucy smile.  “Besides, I’d just track you down anyway.  I’m a damn good detective, you know.”

Despite himself, Lucifer found himself chuckling.  “The best, Detective.  You’re the best.”  Then he grew serious.  “But I can’t let you do that.  I refuse to destroy you.  I’ll go somewhere where you won’t find me.”

“And how do you propose that?”  She started drawing patterns on his chest.  “You know I can track you down on any plane you go to.”

Goodness, her touch was clouding his mind!  He struggled to hold onto his thoughts.  “Well, that may be, but... but what if I make you promise not to follow me?”

She grinned.  “I wouldn’t promise.”  Leaning up, she kissed the side of his neck.  “Never, ever.  I love you, Lucifer.  I’ll never let you go.”

Heat coiled inside his belly, then unwound throughout his body as fire rushed through his veins.  Bloody hell, he had to keep on track -- although... what had he been saying?  He couldn’t remember.  No, no...  He had to leave her... that was right.  “Chloe -- dearheart, you... you have to stop --”

“Why?”  She smiled against him as her warm hands caressed his skin.

“B-because I... I can’t think when you....”

She started nibbling on his ear.  He thought he was going to die as desire, white hot and burning, set him afire.  His neck corded as he gritted his teeth and tried to resist the spell his wife was weaving around him.

“Don’t leave me, Lucifer,” she whispered.  “Don’t ever leave me.”

“C-Chloe --”

“I’d die if you left.  You don’t want me to die, do you?”

He squeezed his eyes shut once again.  Bloody hell, his wife was a temptress, a siren, and he was helpless to resist her!  “N-no....”

“Then promise me, husband.  Promise not to leave because you think I’ll be better off.  I’ll never be better off without you.  Never.”

His breaths came out in harsh pants as his head fell against the pillow, exposing more of his neck to her soft kisses.  His skin tingled wherever she touched, her fingers scorching him until he was twisting and writhing in bed.  He was helpless against her soft caresses.  All he wanted was to take her in his arms and love her.  Reaching for her, he tried to pull her up so that he could kiss her lips, but she evaded his hands and worked her own magic on his body.

“Promise me....”

Goodness, he was dying -- dying!  But ahh, what a way to go....

“Promise....”

“Fine!  I promise!” he yelled, then rolled in bed, taking her with him, until she was on her back.  Her laugh sounded triumphant in his ears, but he didn’t care.  The only thing on his mind was his burning desire for his sweet wife.  His Chloe.

Taking his time, he made passionate love to her for the rest of the night, worshipping her with his body, showing her without words just how much she meant to him.

 

 


	25. The Joys of Family

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A big thank you to my wonderful beta, ScooterThyme!

 

 

The rising sun filled the master bedroom with a dim glow as Chloe awoke, feeling completely refreshed.  Immediately after she had drunk the antidote the night before, the horrible aches and pains she had been suffering vanished.  She hadn’t felt this good since she had given birth.  The antidote had not only cured the poison running through her system, it had apparently rejuvenated her, as well.  Or maybe Lucifer’s lovemaking had had something to do with that.  A secret smile lit her face as she recalled how he had brought her to the pinnacle of ecstasy over and over throughout the night, filling her with joy.  Heat filled her cheeks and her heart swelled at the thought of her husband.  Lucifer had gone through so much, all just to keep her alive.  She swore to spend the rest of her life letting him know how much she loved and appreciated him.

When she opened her eyes, she found Lucifer on his side, gazing at her with that soft, tender look he reserved just for her.  Reaching over, she caressed his stubbly cheek.  He caught her hand and pressed it harder against him, holding it there as he stared into her eyes.

“Were you watching me while I slept?” she asked.

He nodded as a slow grin grew on his face.

She laughed.  “You perv.”

“You’re a sight for sore eyes, did you know that?”  He kissed her palm before pressing it back against his cheek.  “Thank you for giving me back my eyes.  The thought of never being able to see you again was just....”  He took a shuddering breath.  “It doesn’t bear thinking about.”

She couldn’t imagine how terrible it had been for him, being blind in a hostile world, not knowing if he’d ever see again.  Immense relief had flooded her when she’d succeeded in healing him.  Horror didn’t even come close to describing what she had felt when she’d taken the bandages off of his ruined eyes.  His injury had been the stuff of nightmares -- she’d been hard-pressed not to throw up at the sight.

Eager to put that image out of her mind, she stroked his cheek.  “Don’t think about it anymore.  You’re back home now.”

His beautiful dark eyes smoldered with intensity.  “I always thought you were stunning, but now that I have my sight back, I must say you are absolutely radiant.”

Chloe’s face grew hot at his praise and she pulled her hand away, chuckling.  “You’re silly.”

Lucifer frowned at her.  “I beg your pardon -- I am  _ not _ silly.  The Devil is never silly.”

She lifted an eyebrow at him.  “Oh, really?  What about the time you stripped in front of a goat just to show him your naked splendor?”

His mouth fell open.  “That wasn’t silly!  The bloody goat was mocking me!”

“And the time you bought twenty  _ cases _ of Oreo cookies?”

“They were the limited edition maple-flavored ones!”  Flipping onto his back with a huff, he crossed his arms over his chest and pouted as he stared at the ceiling.  “And you wouldn’t even let me keep them.”

“You filled the penthouse with two hundred forty packages of Oreos!  What would we do with that many cookies?!”

He gave her an innocent look.  “Eat them?”

Chloe rolled her eyes.  “No.  I don’t care if your angelic constitution doesn’t let you gain weight -- you’d be bouncing all over from a massive sugar high and setting a bad example for the children.”

“But I’m the Devil!  I’m supposed to set a bad example --”

_ “No.” _  She gave him a stern look before her face softened with affection.  “You see?  I told you -- you’re silly.”

“I am not.”  Lucifer sulked for a few long seconds before his mouth finally quirked up.  “But now that I’m home, perhaps you can help me.  I’m in terrible agony.”

At his words, her heart skipped a beat.  Had she missed healing a part of him?  Were his eyes giving him trouble?  The smile faded from her face and she sat up to look at him.  He didn’t seem in terrible agony.  Her brows furrowed at his sad puppy-dog expression.  “What is it?  What’s wrong?”

His cheeks pinkened.  “It’s my wings.”

“Your wings?”

He nodded as he shifted against the bedsheets.  “They’re terribly itchy.”

She frowned.  “You have a rash?”  A creeping sense of horror overcame her as she recalled a news report of a woman infested with bird mites.  Scrambling to the far end of the bed, she clutched the blanket to her.  “You have  _ mites?!” _

_ “What?! _  No!  Bloody hell, Detective, don’t be insulting!  I’m a celestial being -- I don’t get mites.”  He scowled at her.  “I have sand between my feathers!  Sand!”  At her blank look he said, “I was caught in a sandstorm.”

For a moment she just blinked at him as his words sunk into her brain, then she let out a relieved sigh.  “Oh.  Is that all?”

“Is that all?!  Don’t you realize what a calamity this is?”  He huffed, tossing his head.  “Hmph.  How dare you think I have mites!  I’m appalled beyond belief.”

“Well, you are like a big bird.”  She thought a moment.  “I wonder if Big Bird has mite problems?”

Lucifer opened and closed his mouth like a gaping fish before he finally found his voice.  “Please, Detective!  Do not compare me with that bright yellow, unsophisticated, overgrown chicken!”  When Chloe started to giggle, he hunched under the covers and scooted to the very edge of the bed with his back facing her.

“Awww, don’t be mad.” Snuggling against his back, she wrapped an arm around his waist.  “I was just teasing you.”

“Oh?”  He turned to look at her, his eyes curious and warm.  “Were you, now?”

Chloe beamed at him.  “Uh huh. I like seeing you indignant and pouty.”  Her voice became low and sultry.  “It’s kind of sexy.”

“Is it?”  His face broke out in a grin for a brief moment before he frowned at her.  “Wait... I’m not pouty!  The Devil is not pouty!”

Another laugh escaped her as she hugged him.  “I love you, Lucifer.”

The tension eased from the fallen angel’s body and he wrapped his arms around her.  His eyes were gentle and his smile tender as he gazed at her.  “And I, you.”  He paused a moment, then added with hope in his voice, “Now will you help me?”

Chuckling, she heaved an exaggerated sigh.  “The things you do for attention.”

Lucifer grinned.  “This from the shameless minx who seduced me last night.”

She playfully punched him in the shoulder.  “I didn’t seduce you!”

He lifted an eyebrow at her.

“Well... maybe a little.”  Chloe gave him a saucy look.  “I  _ am _ the wife of the Devil.”

“That you are.”  The warmth in his voice brought heat rushing into her cheeks.

Laughing, she pushed at him.  “Come on, let’s see what we can do about getting rid of that sand before the rest of the household wakes up.”

The fallen angel’s face lit up like the sun.  “Splendid!”

 

 

________________________________________

 

 

Cleaning Lucifer’s wings turned out to be quite a task.  After Chloe stepped into the large shower behind her husband, he unfurled his wings and accidentally hit her in the face.  As he whirled around, wearing a horrified expression, his feathered appendage shoved her into the side of the shower wall, then knocked over the myriad of shampoos and soaps that he loved to indulge himself in.  His face grew bright red as he apologized profusely.  She took it all in stride, laughing at his unruly wings.

“You’re worse than a bull in a china shop!” she teased.

“I’m so sorry, dearheart.  They’re incredibly clumsy --”  As the fallen angel turned to look at her again, she got another mouthful of feathers.

Spitting out the fluff, she let out an exasperated sigh.  “Don’t move, okay, Lucifer?  Let me do all the work.  Just have a seat on the bench and let me tend to you.”

Grabbing the handheld shower head, she adjusted the setting to a gentle massage, and let the warm water wash off the sand and dust that had accumulated on his big, white wings.  The moans of bliss Lucifer made as she washed him sent heat rushing through her body, quickening her heartbeat and tightening her stomach.  Her tender ministrations must have been as arousing to him as to her, for when she finished he quickly tucked his wings away and proceeded to make such steamy, passionate love to her that she was afraid she’d wake up Trixie with her cries.  Thank goodness they were in the bathroom with the door closed!

Afterwards she could barely stand on her boneless legs as he enveloped her in a thick, fluffy towel and dried her off.  His smile was full of love as he wrapped her in a silk robe and carried her back to bed.

“I do believe I wore you out, Mrs. Morningstar.”

She chuckled.  “You don’t have to sound so proud of it.”  Eyeing his state of undress, she said, “You need to put on some boxers.”

A smug grin lit his countenance.  “Why?  Are you overcome with lust at the sight of my naked splendor?”

“No.”  At his crestfallen expression, she hurriedly explained.  “Don’t get me wrong.  I am, but not now.”

His brows furrowed and he cocked his head.  “Why not now?”

“Because Trixie will probably be coming in at any moment....”

The look of panic on his face had her laughing uncontrollably as he snatched up the boxer shorts on the floor and scrambled into them.  Just as he pulled up his underwear, Trixie came running into the room at full tilt.

“Daddy!” she squealed, knocking him onto the bed.

Chloe barely had time to clamber out of the way as he fell on the mattress with a loud “oof!”  Giggling, the blonde woman pulled herself to her feet and gazed at the pair with amusement as her daughter proceeded to jump all over Lucifer.

“Are you better now, Daddy?  Are you?” the little girl finally asked as she settled down beside him.

“Of course, child.”  Lucifer’s voice was full of pride.  “Your mother is fantastic at what she does.”

“I’m glad.”  She hugged him tightly.  “You have to be able to see when we go camping in Hell!”

As Lucifer started chuckling, Chloe’s jaw dropped open.  “Trixie!  What did I tell you about that?  No camping trips in Hell!”

The little girl’s face fell comically.  “Awwww, but Mommy...!”

_ “No.” _

“Don’t worry, child, I’ll work on convincing her,” Lucifer said sotto voce as he gave Trixie a wink.

“I heard that.”  Chloe glared at them both, but when they looked at her with matching puppy dog eyes, her heart melted.  This would never do!  Changing the subject seemed to be the wisest course of action, so she asked, “Are Rafe and Sachi still here?”

“Emrys is sleeping on top of Rafe on the couch, and Sachi slept with me!” Trixie said happily as she bounced up and down on the bed.

“Can you wake them up?  You have to get ready for school and we need to eat breakfast.”

“Can’t I stay with Lucifer?” Trixie whined.

Chloe glanced at her beaming husband as he sat up with his chest puffed out so much she thought he’d fall over backwards.  A chuckle escaped her.  It was heartwarming to see how close Lucifer and her daughter had become.  Struggling to hide how touched she was, she put on her sternest Mom look.  “No -- school first, young lady.  Now scoot.”

As Trixie scowled and stomped out of the master bedroom, Chloe shot a glance at Lucifer.  He was looking as unhappy as Trixie.  Sighing, she walked over to his side and caressed his cheek.  “You are going to spoil her.”

He brightened.  “That’s my job, my dear.  Mind you, I  _ am _ the Devil.”

Chuckling, she tousled his hair.  “Well then, why don’t you spoil her with some breakfast?”

His eyes darkened as he gave her a sultry look.  “Well, perhaps you can first satisfy  _ my _ hunger before I start cooking...?”

She gave an exasperated bark of laughter.  “We just made love!”

“Well, yes, but not in the bed --”

‘What do you call last night?”

His lips broadened into a devilish grin.  “That was last  _ night.” _

She smiled as she rolled her eyes.  Bending over, she kissed him on the cheek.  “There.  Now scoot.”

His face fell.  “That’s hardly enough to satisfy my hunger!”

“Well it’s going to have to do for now.”  Tightening the belt around her robe, she headed for the master closet.

“But... maybe later?”  His voice sounded hopeful.

Giving him a coy glance over her shoulder as she walked away, she said, “Maybe,” and laughed when she heard his whoop of boyish enthusiasm behind her.

 

 

________________________________________

 

 

Breakfast ended up being a rowdy affair.

The wonderful scent of cinnamon rolls and bacon that Lucifer had whipped up filled the dining room as everyone sat down to eat.  Trixie talked to Sachiel about the tonics that the angel had made for her mother, while Raphael and his fallen brother bickered in a friendly manner over the best way to feed a baby.  Amenadiel and Maze had come upstairs to join them for breakfast, although they did nothing but stare hungrily at each other across the table.  Meanwhile, Emrys laughed delightedly as he threw cereal at everyone.  Chloe quickly grabbed his hand and said gently, “No, Emmie.”

He just giggled at her, his chubby cheeks dimpling as he flapped his downy wings and slapped his free hand on the tray of the high chair.  Unable to stay mad at him, the blonde woman squeezed his little hand.  He grinned up at her, his eyes full of mischief.

“You know, it won’t be long before he starts flying,” Raphael said as he studied the baby.

“Emmie is going to start flying?  Cool!” Trixie cried.  “I can put him on a leash like a balloon and take him for walks --”

Chloe rubbed her forehead.  “Monkey, we’ve gone over this before.  Your brother is not a balloon.”

“But Mommy...!”

“Let the kid do what she wants, Decker,” Maze said as she took a big bite of her cinnamon roll.  Chewing with her mouth open, she added, “It’ll be a good way to exercise Emmie.”

Sachiel looked horrified.  “But Emmie is not a balloon --”

“He may as well be when he starts flying.”  The demon downed her tumbler full of Scotch.  “You’ll never get him down.”

“You can’t take him for walks,” Amenadiel chimed in. “Humans can’t handle the Divine --”

Lucifer frowned at his burly brother.  “Surely a little walk wouldn’t harm anyone?  We can disguise him as a balloon.  No one would know the difference.  Humans aren’t the brightest of creatures --”  He shot a quick glance at his wife.  “Present company excluded, of course.”

As the argument escalated, Chloe leaned back in her chair and chuckled.  She didn’t have the heart to get annoyed -- she was too happy.  Her close stint with death had left her feeling incredibly grateful to be alive.  Warmth spread through her chest as her eyes touched on each person at the table.  This was her family, and she was lucky to have them by her side.

“Hello...?”

Penelope’s voice interrupted the conversation, and silence fell over the table as they turned as one to look in the direction of the living room.  Chloe rose to her feet and went to meet the older woman standing by the bar.

“Mom!”  Opening her arms, she gave Penelope a big hug.  “We’re just eating breakfast.  Come join us.”

The blood drained from the older woman’s face as she stared at her daughter.  “Chloe....  You... you’re okay?”

Smiling, she nodded.  “Yes, thanks to Lucifer.”

Penelope promptly burst into tears and hugged her tightly.  Chloe rubbed her back and looked over her shoulder.  Lucifer was leaning against a wall a good distance away with his arms crossed over his chest, his eyes narrowed and his expression inscrutable.  Her stomach twisted into a hard knot.  Lucifer had been so angry at Penelope....  This was bound to get ugly.

As Chloe stared at him with pleading eyes, Amenadiel and Maze spilled out of the dining room with Trixie in tow.

“We’ll take the little human to school,” the demon said as her boyfriend picked up the little girl’s backpack.  Before Chloe could say anything, they had disappeared into the elevator.

Sachiel and Raphael were next, with the dark-haired somber angel carrying Emrys in her arms.

“We’ll be in the nursery,” the healer said as he ushered Sachiel down the hall and away.

Chloe swallowed hard.  She and Lucifer were now alone with Penelope.

 

 


	26. Making Amends

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A big thank you to my wonderful beta, ScooterThyme!

  


  


Lucifer stared at Penelope from across the room, his heart thumping furiously.  He knew he was supposed to forgive her, but at the mere sight of his mother-in-law, everything inside of him demanded that he grab her and throw her off the balcony.  He had tried his very best to get along with this woman, and how had she repaid his kindness?  By bringing poison into his household and almost killing the one person who was his entire world.  His eyes flared red for a brief second as he looked his mother-in-law up and down with contempt.  Clenching his fists to stop the trembling of his hands, he shoved off the wall and straightened.

“Well... I’m surprised to see you here.”  He grinned, although there was nothing humorous in his expression.  Lifting his chin in challenge, he started to approach Penelope.   “And to what do we owe this pleasure?”

Penelope grew pale as she took a step back behind Chloe.  “I came to see my daughter.”

“Really?”  He lifted an eyebrow at her before laughing sardonically.  “Did your motherly instinct finally kick in?”

Chloe gave him an odd look.  “What are you talking about?”

The fallen angel ignored his wife, his eyes boring into Penelope’s.  As he drew closer, a dull roaring resounded in his ears, throbbing in time with his heartbeat.  He finally halted in front of them and crossed his arms over his chest.

The older woman had the grace to look ashamed, but then she straightened her spine and looked him in the eye.  “You can’t keep me from my daughter.”

“Well, you’re just full of spit and vinegar, aren’t you?”  He took a step forward, and watched with satisfaction as she took a step back.  Maybe he could intimidate her out of the penthouse....

“Lucifer.”

Although the warning in Chloe’s voice brought him up short, he resisted the urge to stop.  He hated this woman -- hated all the pain and suffering she had brought to his life just because she wanted to get rid of him.  The accusation of hurting his wife that Penelope always leveled at him still stabbed him in the heart.  He was tired of her treating him like he was... well, the Devil.  The temptation to scare her out of her mind pushed at him, encouraging him to just act out.  What did it matter?  She thought he was evil, anyway.  What more harm would a reaffirmation do?

_ Punisher.  Destroyer. _

“Lucifer,” Chloe said, taking a step toward him and putting her hand on his chest.  “Calm down.”

For a moment he just stared at his wife, unable to comprehend what she was saying.  Why was she stopping him?  All he wanted was to get his hands on the woman behind her and tear her apart....

“This isn’t you, Lucifer.  Stop scaring my mother.  I know you’re angry, but please... calm down.”

Calm down?  How could he calm down?!  Penelope had almost killed the love of his life, the only person who had ever truly loved him.  How could he ever let that go?  He couldn’t -- wouldn’t.

“Lucifer, please.  Where is the man I fell in love with?  Whatever grievance you have against my mother, you have to let it go.”

Slowly, her words sunk into his brain and the rigidity left his limbs.  Chloe.  Chloe was upset.  At him?  He couldn’t have that.  He never wanted to cause her distress or sadness -- he only wanted the best for her, because he loved her with every fiber of his being.

As if from very far away, he heard his own voice echoing in his head: _ I am Lucifer Morningstar and  _ I _ define me. _

Right.  That was right.  He was Lucifer bloody Morningstar, and he was the one who chose who he was -- how he was.  Not his anger. Him.  Slowly he came back to himself.  Taking a deep breath, he tried to slow down the blood rushing through his veins.  Hadn’t he told himself that he would forgive Penelope?  Did he really want to end up like Sekhmet, so full of hatred that he didn’t even know who he was anymore?

And if he did end up like Sekhmet, wouldn’t that just prove to Penelope that he was exactly what she thought he was?  Not only that, his refusal to accept the older woman would hurt Chloe, which was the last thing he wanted to do.  She was his heart, his soul.  He had already hurt her so much -- he couldn’t bear to cause her any more pain.

Biting his lower lip, he closed his eyes briefly.  “Yes....  Yes, of course.”  He turned sharply away and took several deep breaths.  “What brings you here, Penelope?”

“I... I came to check on Chloe,” was her quiet reply.

Lucifer heard her approach, but kept his back to her.  When he felt her fingers brush against his forearm, he stiffened.  So... what was it to be this time?  Was she going to heap more blame and condemnation upon him?  Or accuse him of being a terrible blackguard?

_ Punisher.  Destroyer. _

“Th-thank you for saving her life.”

Blinking in surprise, the fallen angel slowly turned to look at his mother-in-law.  His brows drew down as he cocked his head at her.  “I beg your pardon?”

“Chloe is everything to me.”  Tears started flowing down Penelope’s cheeks.  Reaching out, she grabbed her daughter’s hand and pulled her close.  “I can’t handle losing my pumpkin.  Losing John was hard enough.  She’s all I have left and I just want what’s best for her.”

Chloe turned to her mother.  “Mom, I’ve been trying to tell you all this time that Lucifer is what’s best for me.”

“I know, pumpkin.  I know, but I wasn’t listening.  When I found out he was the Devil, I just couldn’t....” Penelope’s breaths came out in gasps as she bit back her sobs.  “I’m sorry, Chloe.  I just want you to be happy.”

“I  _ am _ happy.”  With tears in her eyes, Chloe smiled at the older woman, then hugged her tightly.  “I am.”

Lucifer stood by as he watched mother and daughter cry in each other’s arms.  Never having had a parent who cared that much for him, he didn’t quite understand what was happening, but it seemed like a good thing.  Jamming his hands in his pockets, he directed his gaze skyward and hoped that the crying would end.  He still didn’t know how to deal with that particular human emotion, and it made him uncomfortable.

Finally, Penelope broke the embrace and turned to Lucifer.  “Rafe told me that you were risking life and limb for my daughter, and he... opened my eyes to some things. I’m sorry for my behavior.”  The older woman bowed her head.  “After some of the things I’ve said and the way I treated you, I have no right to ask, but... I hope you can find it in your heart to forgive me.”

The fallen angel glanced from his mother-in-law to his wife then back again, before sighing.  He didn’t want to -- everything inside of him screamed defiance -- but forgiving Penelope was the right thing to do, and it would make Chloe happy.  He pursed his lips and nodded jerkily.  “I believe we can come to some sort of an arrangement.”

“Thank you.”  Penelope’s eyes teared up again.  Before Lucifer knew what was happening, the older woman reached out and hugged him.  Immediately stiffening like she had stabbed him, he yelped and stood frozen with a horrified look on his face until she finally released him.  His insides churned as warmth spread through his insides. He didn’t know what it meant, but it felt... good.

The older woman turned to her daughter.  “Listen, pumpkin, I have something to confess.  The reason why you got sick... it’s my fault.”

Chloe’s jaw fell open.  “Your fault?  What do you mean?”

“I... well, it’s just that....”  Penelope shifted her weight from foot to foot.  “You know....”

The younger woman shook her head as her brows drew down.  “Mom, what are you trying to say?”

“What Penelope is trying to say is that she had a run-in with the celestial who brought the poison to Earth,” Lucifer interrupted with a meaningful glance at the older woman.  He didn’t want his wife to know that her own mother had poisoned her -- it would destroy her, and she had been through enough already.  “Of course she had no intention of harming you, so....”  He trailed off, letting Chloe’s imagination fill in the rest.

For a moment Penelope stared at him in shock, then her face softened as more tears ran down her face.  “Thank you,” she mouthed.

“So they’re targeting me now?”  Chloe shook her head with disgust.  “It figures.  Now that Emmie is getting bigger, I was half-expecting something like this.”  Her eyes narrowed as she looked at her mother.  “Was it a man or a woman?  Did they give a name?  Do you remember what they looked like?”

Penelope shrugged helplessly.  “It was a man who looked like Lucifer.  That’s all I could tell you.”

Lucifer studied his wife, who frowned.  He could see the gears turning in her head as her detective mind kicked in.  Finally she spoke.  “But why would they approach you if they were after me?  That makes no sense.”

“Since when have my siblings ever made sense?” the fallen angel asked with another quick glance at his mother-in-law.

“Pumpkin, I wish I could help you more, but I can’t.”  The older woman’s shoulders sagged.  “I’m sorry.”

“Wait....”  Chloe tapped her index finger to her lips as she thought, then brightened.  “Sachiel is here.”

Lucifer immediately caught on and smiled.  His wife was so clever -- Sachi could pull the image of the errant brother right out of Penelope’s head.  “Of course!  Splendid idea!”

“I don’t understand.”  The older woman glanced from her daughter to the Devil.  “And I don’t like the way you two are looking at me.”

“Mom, Sachiel is an angel who has power over memories. She can look into your mind and see who had approached you --”

“No!”  Penelope became ash pale and backed away from them both.  “No way.  There is no way that I’m going to have anyone peeking in my head.”

Lucifer’s heart clenched.  “But we need to know which one of my siblings had brought the poison --”

_ “No.” _  The older woman looked ready to bolt.  “Absolutely not.  Don’t ask me to do that.  I’m stretched thin enough as it is.  I will  _ not _ have anyone looking into my brain.  Period.”

The fallen angel clenched his hands into fists, resisting the urge to throw things.  Striding quickly to the bar, he poured himself a large tumbler of Scotch and downed it before turning back to his mother-in-law.  “Bloody hell!  How are we to get to the bottom of this, if you aren’t willing to help us?!”

Penelope grew red, but she lifted her chin and crossed her arms in front of her chest.

Chloe fell silent.  Lucifer glanced at his wife, not surprised to see her thinking once again.  When she raised her eyes to look at him, he knew she had found an alternative solution.  “We’ll set a trap,” the detective said.

The fallen angel cocked his head.  “A trap?”

“It will work, I know it will.”  She turned to her mother.  “Do you remember how you met this angel?”

Penelope nodded.  “I had just finished an audition and stopped at the first bar I found.”  She waved her hand in the air.  “I was upset because of the whole Devil thing with Lucifer and had been praying every night for a solution.  When I started drinking, he sat down next to me and told me that he was the answer to my prayers.”

“Do you remember which bar it was?”

She nodded.  “Forman’s Whiskey Tavern near the Warner Brothers Studios.”

“Great.”  Chloe rubbed her hands together as she smiled.

Confused, Lucifer looked at her, his brows furrowing.  “What are you planning, wife?”

“Well, for the rest of the week we’ll have Mom pray for a solution to the Devil problem.  At some point your brother will come to talk with her again.  When he shows up, we’ll grab him.”  She glanced at her mother.  “Be sure to pray that you want to meet him this Saturday at the same bar.”

The fallen angel beamed at his wife.  She was so clever!  “Lovely!  A splendid idea.”  He turned to look at his mother-in-law and frowned at the expression on her face. She looked... ill.  “Are you all right, Penelope?”

“I don’t want to see him again,” she announced.  “I just want this thing behind me.”

“But Mom, we really need to know who this guy was!”

“And I’ll be right there to get him before he harms you,” Lucifer chimed in.

The older woman still didn’t look convinced.  Chloe reached over and squeezed her mother’s hand.  “Do you want my life in danger again?”

“No!”  Penelope’s objection was fierce.  “I never wanted you in danger, Chloe.  Never.  I can’t handle losing you.”

“Then help us, Mom.  Please...?”  When the older woman hesitated, she added, “The alternate is Sachiel....”

Penelope swallowed hard.  “I’ll do it.”

  


  



	27. Mebahel

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A big thank you to my wonderful beta, ScooterThyme!

 

 

Penelope had never been so nervous in her life.

Sitting at the counter of the same bar she had found herself in ten days ago, she twisted the wedding ring on her finger, then took a sip of her wine.  Whiskey was what she really wanted, but she had to have a clear head for what would be the most important role of her life.

Inside her purse was her smartphone with a live connection to Chloe, who waited with Lucifer, Amenadiel and Maze in a nearby alley.  She’d wondered why they hadn’t just taken a table in the dark corner of the bar, but the Devil had told her that the angel would sense their presence, so it was better to be a few blocks away.

Despite knowing that setting a trap was the best way to catch the angel responsible for giving her the poison, Penelope was still afraid.  Running her sweaty hands down her slacks, she struggled to steady her pounding heart.  This was worse than an audition in front of the top producers in Hollywood.  She had no doubt that the angel would kill her once he discovered he had been set up.

But she had to make amends for nearly killing her own daughter.  When she thought about it, her own life didn’t matter at all.  She would do anything to keep Chloe safe -- including joining hands with the Devil and putting herself in danger.

Since discussing the plan with her daughter, Penelope had spent night after night praying with fervor about how she wanted the Devil gone from Chloe’s life.  She had grabbed all the fear and loathing at her core and regurgitated it in her prayers, hoping that she could convey all the hatred she had for her son-in-law.  Recalling all the things that she blamed Lucifer for, she replayed them in her head over and over until she wanted to vomit.

This had to work.  It had to.  She couldn’t bear the thought of the alternative -- having Sachiel poke around in her head.

The chair beside her scraped the floor as someone took the seat beside her.  Afraid that it was some stupid drunk wanting to ask her out, she turned sharply toward the newcomer, only to have her mouth fall open.

It was him.  The answer to her prayers.

Drawing on all of her acting experience, she buried the icy knot in her chest and lifted her chin at the angel.  “Well, it’s about time you came.”

He smiled.  “I’m surprised you called.  What can I do for you?”

“I’m considering the proposition you came to me about.”

The angel’s eyebrows rose.  “Oh?  You haven’t...?”

“No.”  She took another sip of her wine.  As she lowered the glass, her hand trembled, rattling the stem against the counter.

He stared at her for a moment, tipping his head in a manner that reminded Penelope very much of Lucifer.  “What are you waiting for?”

She licked her lips.  Where the hell were Lucifer and Chloe?  “I’m worried.  There are risks.”

“No risk to you, I guarantee it.”  He paused, his eyes narrowing as he studied her.  “You seem nervous.  Why?”

She snorted with bravado.  “Why shouldn’t I be nervous?  You do realize what you’re asking...?”

“No... it’s more than that.”  He stood abruptly.  “I must go.”

Oh god, he was leaving!  “Wait!  What about --”

“Well, Mebahel!  Fancy meeting you here.”  Lucifer’s voice cut through the din in the bar.  Slapping his hand hard on the angel’s shoulder, the Devil grinned at his sibling as his eyes flared red.  “We have much to discuss, you and I.”

The dark haired angel gaped at him, then turned furious eyes to Penelope.  “You set me up!”

Now that the cavalry had arrived, the older woman felt her fear dissipate.  Her eyes grew hard as Chloe walked up to take a position behind her.  “You and your stupid scheme nearly killed my daughter.  You bet your ass I set you up!”

“What are you talking about?!  How can you --”

“Now, now, brother.  Let’s just find a nice quiet corner where we can talk, shall we?”  Lucifer’s hand tightened on his shoulder.

Without warning, Mebahel shoved at the fallen angel, knocking him down.  Turning with a snarl, he reached for Penelope. She jumped out of her chair, knocking it over as she scrambled to get out of his way.  His fingers clawed at her, tearing the sleeve of her blouse --

 

 

________________________________________

 

 

Time suddenly slowed to a standstill as Lucifer lunged at Mebahel, knocking him to the floor.  He couldn’t have been more grateful for Amenadiel’s judicious use of his power.  Maze and Amenadiel came running to help as their errant sibling punched the Devil.  Pain exploded in the fallen angel’s face as he went down hard.

Spitting  the blood from his mouth, Lucifer rose to his feet as Maze leaped over the bar tables.  The demon threw herself at Mebahel, but the angel unfurled his wings and batted her away, sending her flying.  With a roar, Amenadiel ran at his brother, but Mebahel struck out at him, slicing open the burly angel’s chest with his razor sharp feathers.  As Amenadiel fell back with a cry, Mebahel took to the air and smashed through the large bar window.

“Look after Amenadiel!” Lucifer barked at Maze as he unfurled his wings, tearing his suit in the process.  Not waiting for an answer, he gave chase.

The fallen angel pursued his brother down dark alleys and along the brightly lit streets of Toluca Lake, weaving between buildings and over frozen cars.  When Mebahel dipped down to street level, Lucifer zipped around the humans frozen in time and pushed for more speed.  The wind roared around him as he slowly gained ground on his brother.  Reaching out, he managed to grab the angel’s ankle and force him down.

They plummeted to earth, hitting the street with shattering force and punching a giant divot into the asphalt.  As Lucifer grappled with Mebahel, the angel kicked him in the stomach, throwing him into the side of a building.  The brick wall cracked under the impact and masonry rained onto the ground.  Lucifer peeled himself off the building and flew at his brother, knocking him into another structure.  They tore through a wall and tumbled into an empty office.  Mebahel backhanded his fallen brother across the face, sending him flying into a desk. The large oak table buckled under him, splintering into pieces.  Groaning, Lucifer pulled himself up from the rubble and glared at his brother with hatred.  With a roar, he launched himself at his opponent, tackling him to the ground.  Grabbing a fistful of Mebahel’s robes, he punched him in the face over and over.  Blood flew from the angel’s mouth, flying everywhere as the Devil pummeled him into unconsciousness.

He wanted to kill Mebahel.  This was the angel responsible for bringing that poison to Earth.  If his brother had just minded his own business and stayed in the Silver City, Chloe would have never gotten sick.  Lucifer couldn’t even imagine his life if his wife had died -- he would have lost her forever.  The thought hammered in his brain over and over, driving up his heart rate and sending the blood pounding through his head.  It would be so easy to kill the bloody bastard.  Just a twist of his neck and he would cease to exist....

_ Punisher.  Destroyer. _

An image of Chloe suddenly danced before his eyes.  What would she think if she saw him now, burning with fury and out of control?  Would she recognize him?  Did he even recognize himself?  He glanced down at his brother and realized that he had been about to kill him in cold blood.

This wasn’t him.  This was rage, pure and simple, and he was better than that... wasn’t he?  As he stared at his brother’s swollen and unconscious face, he lowered his fist and took a deep breath.

“I am Lucifer Morningstar and  _ I  _ define me.”

Gripping his brother’s robes, he dragged the unconscious angel back out onto the street and threw him over his shoulder.  Looking up at the stars overhead with a sigh, he spread his wings wide and leaped into the air, taking off for the bar.

It didn’t take long.  He strode in through the front door, then made his way around the frozen bar patrons to see Amenadiel being tended to by Maze. The demon had ripped some poor human’s shirt off of his back and wrapped it around the angel’s chest.  Frowning, Lucifer dumped his rousing brother on the floor and squatted by the burly angel with concern in his eyes.

“How are you, brother?”

Amenadiel chuckled.  “I’ve been better.  Damn, but this hurts though.  I’ll have to get Raphael to take a look at me later.”  He glanced at Mebahel.  “You want me to take him to Hell?”

“Let me slice off his limbs first,” Maze growled as she took a threatening step toward the angel and yanked her knives from their sheaths.

“Down, Maze.”  Lucifer looked over his shoulder at his errant brother, now sitting up and wiping the blood from his nose.  Rising, the Devil marched over to Mebahel and hauled him to his feet.

“You bloody wanker, tell me -- why would you do this?”  When the angel said nothing, he shook him hard.  “Tell me!”

“You drove Father mad!” Mebahel snarled at him, sending spittle flying everywhere.  “Don’t think we don’t know.  Our father -- and you destroyed him!  We’ll never forgive you for that.”

“Dad is far kinder now than he ever has been,” Lucifer retorted.  “You just don’t realize what a monster he was.”

“A monster to you!  To us, he was the kindest, most gentle --”

His words twisted Lucifer’s stomach, sending bile to his throat.  “You’re a fool if you believe that.”  Swallowing hard, he shoved his brother at Amenadiel.  “Right.  Take him to Hell, will you?”

“With pleasure,” the burly angel answered.

“You... you’re siding with the Devil?!” cried Mebahel.  “Brother, you know of Father’s mercy, his grace!  How can you take sides against him?”

“I’m not taking sides against him,” Amenadiel answered patiently.  “If you would just open your eyes --”

“Father above, I would have never believed it with my own eyes.  Our fallen brother has brainwashed you!  Michael was right -- Lucifer  _ is _ the root of all evil!  Why can’t you see that?!”

“You’re mad,” Lucifer snapped.  “You’ve obviously lost all reason.  Amenadiel, if you’d do the honors....”

“Done.”

As the burly angel grabbed Mebahel and started dragging him away, that angel suddenly let out a maniacal laugh.  “Do you think I’m the only one who feels this way?  There are hundreds of us!  Thousands!  And we won’t ever rest until you’re dead, Lucifer.   _ Dead!” _

Upon hearing his brother’s rants, the blood drained from the Devil’s face.  The angel was completely blinded by hatred.  How had things come to this?  Lucifer shook his head, then frowned.  The thought that there might be many more siblings of like mind sent a cold shiver down his spine.  How would he ever protect his family?

Sighing heavily, he turned to Maze.  “When time speeds up, tell Chloe I’ll be waiting for her at home.”  With slumped shoulders, the fallen angel walked out of the bar.

 

 

________________________________________

 

 

When Lucifer returned to the penthouse, he changed into a fresh shirt and ambled over to the balcony.  Below him, the lights of Los Angeles were spread out like a carpet of jewels against the night sky.  Rubbing his hand over his face, he thought about the future with dread.  Hundreds... thousands of siblings out for his blood.  It didn’t bear thinking about.  There was only one solution, but he couldn’t take it -- not just yet.  He needed to see Chloe first before he could do what needed to be done.  Thankfully Beatrice was at a sleepover -- he didn’t want her to witness what could be a potentially explosive argument between him and her mother.

When he heard the soft ding of the elevator and the almost silent slide of the doors opening, he took a deep breath and prepared himself.  Chloe could be tenacious when she wanted to be, but so could he.  He was the Devil, after all.  As he listened to her footsteps approach, he sighed.

“I sent Rafe downstairs to check on Amenadiel, and Sachi is watching over Emrys in the nursery,” he said without turning around.  He chuckled, but it sounded tired and sad to his ears.  “I ruined another suit, in case you’re wondering.”

She came abreast of him and leaned on the clear plexiglass railing.  “What happened, Lucifer?  Why didn’t you wait for me?”

Like a coward, he found himself unwilling to answer the question.  He shrugged instead, turning his gaze toward the city lights below.  His stomach twisted into a knot as he struggled to slow down his rapid breathing.  When her fingers brushed against his forearm, he jumped.

Taking a hold of his arm, Chloe turned him toward her.  Unable to face her, Lucifer kept his head bowed and avoided her eyes.  She gave him a little shake.  “Come on, talk to me.”

He didn’t know how to start.  Whatever he said would destroy his entire future, and his instinct for self preservation demanded that he stay silent.  His eyes burned with unshed tears as he raised his face to look at her.  “I... I can’t.”

Her face grew pale.  “Why not?”

He waved his hand in the air as he looked back across the city lights below them.  “I don’t know how.”

“Hey.”  Reaching over, she squeezed his hand.  He hoped she couldn’t feel how badly his fingers were trembling.  “I’m here for you, you know that.  Just tell me.”

Hunching his shoulders, the fallen angel bit his lower lip, then took a deep breath.  Here went nothing.  “My word is my bond.”

Chloe’s brow furrowed.  “What does that have to do with anything?”

Lucifer’s heart fluttered in his chest like a trapped bird, and his mouth went dry.  How could he explain?  But he had to try.  “Right.  My word is my bond -- you know I can’t break my promise.  How am I supposed to protect you and the children if I can’t --”  He broke off.  The mere thought of anything happening to his family sent ice through his veins.

For a long moment she stared at him, her eyes huge in her pale face, before she pulled him into a strong embrace.  “You’re not leaving.  You promised.”

Her words sent a sharp pain in his chest.  Oh, how he wanted to stay!  But he couldn’t.  If he was to protect his family, he had to make her understand....  His hands remained at his sides as he closed his eyes tightly.  “You have to release me from my promise, dearheart.  Please.  Let me go.”

“No.  You’re my husband.”  Lifting a hand, she caressed his cheek.  “Talk to me, Lucifer.  Tell me what happened.  Please.”

“I....”  He swallowed hard.  It was so difficult to tell her the horrible news, but it was the only way to make her see.  “Mebahel said there are hundreds -- thousands -- of siblings who seek my death, because of Father’s madness --”

Her mouth fell open.  “But that’s my fault --”

“No.”  He put a finger to her lips. “Not yours.  Never yours.”  With a sigh, he let his eyes fall on the high-rises in the distance.  “This hatred of theirs is something that’s been building from before we had ever met.”  He looked back at her.  “I have to protect you and the children.  I can’t do that if you don’t let me go.”

If anything, her face grew even more pale, looking like pure white porcelain in the moonlight.  “And how would you protect us?”

He took a deep breath.  “I’ll... I’ll make a deal with them.”  He refrained from telling her that he would allow the angels to torture him, even kill him, if it would keep her and the children safe.  She seemed to know, though, for she shook her head and mouthed “no,” several times.

Gripping his head gently with both hands, she tilted his face down toward her.  Her bright gaze captured his and she spoke in a clear voice.  “I am not letting you go.  You are my husband, my angel who lit the stars.  You’re the best thing that ever happened to me, and I cannot --  _ will not _ \-- live without you.  I won’t let you go.”

His eyes grew wide as he felt the blood drain from his face.  “Dearheart, don’t say that --”

_ “I will not let you go.” _  Her gaze became fierce.  “Chew on that, Mister Morningstar.  You are staying right here beside me.  Period.”

“But I can’t protect you like this!”  His heart turned into a lead weight in his chest as he pulled out of her arms.  “Please, Chloe.  Please, you have to --”

_ “No.” _  Her eyes burned with anger as she faced him.  “We are a family.  We can deal with whatever your siblings throw at us.  But what I can’t deal with is a deadbeat dad who runs out on his family, no matter how noble the cause.  The children will be devastated if you leave.  Not only that,  _ I _ will be devastated -- and I will  _ never _ forgive you.  You promised and I’m holding you to your word.”

He gaped at her.  “But --”

“But nothing.” She pulled him back into a hug and clung tightly to him.  “Face it, Lucifer, you’re stuck with me.”

Shock kept the fallen angel rooted to the spot as his mind reeled at her words.  How was he to protect her if he couldn’t leave her?  And why wasn’t she letting him go?  He was a punisher, a destroyer -- she should have jumped at the chance to finally be rid of him!  Why wasn’t she letting him go?

“I... I don’t understand,” he finally said.  “I can protect you, save you.  Why aren’t you letting me go?”

“You still don’t get it, after all this time?”  Her eyes were sad and pitying as she looked up at him.  “It’s because I love you.”

Tears sprang in his eyes at her simple words, and he had the sudden urge to start bawling like a baby.  No one had ever truly loved him like Chloe did.  Anyone else would have eagerly sacrificed him if it meant they would be safe.  But not Chloe -- oh no.  His goddess of compassion would never do that.  She was far too good for him.

Blinking back his tears and failing miserably, he hugged her to him like a drowning man clutched a lifeline.  He pressed his cheek to her hair and said her name like a litany.  “Chloe, Chloe, Chloe....  What did I ever do to deserve someone as good as you?”

He felt her arms tighten around him.  “We’ll deal with whatever your family throws at us, but we have to do it together.  We’re stronger together.”

The urge to fight her, to argue, to tell her she deserved someone better and would be well rid of him bubbled up inside him, but he bit it back.  She was his light, and the truth was that he couldn’t bear to live without her.  He just couldn’t.  He nodded against her hair.  “Very well.”  He straightened and looked down at her, feeling for the first time that night that maybe things  _ would _ be all right.  “You’re a headstrong wench.”

“I have to be when I’m dealing with the Devil.”  She caressed his cheek, then stood on her tiptoes to kiss him.  At the touch of her lips, his insides caught fire with passion and heat wound itself around him.  Pulling her closer, he deepened the kiss.  His hands swept over her body, drawing passionate cries from her until she sagged against him, unable to stand on her boneless legs.  His arms tightened around her as he buried his face into the crook of her neck.

“Don’t worry about the future,” he heard her say in a gentle voice.  “You have family, my dear Devil.  Not only the children and me, but Amenadiel, Maze, Rafe and Sachi.  You’re no longer alone.  We are here for you.  We can deal with anything as long as we stick together.”

His heart burst with warmth at her words.   _ Family. _  A real family.  How he had wanted a true family for so long!  People he could trust and depend on -- and now he finally had it, thanks to Chloe.  He couldn’t keep the tears from running down his cheeks, burning his skin where they fell.  How he loved this woman, his goddess, his wife!  She always made him feel hope when everything seemed at its bleakest.  Unable to speak, he just held onto her and let himself weep in her arms.

When he finally took long shuddering breaths to get himself under control, Chloe pulled out of his embrace. With a coquettish smile, she led him to the master bedroom.

Once there, she proceeded to make such sweet love to him that he almost burst into another round of tears.  Lucifer felt cherished.  It was a beautiful feeling he only experienced with her, and he wanted to drown in all the warm feelings she engendered in him.  All the worries of the outside world fell away as they made love.  When she finally fell asleep in his arms, he kissed her gently on the forehead.

“Thank you,” he whispered.

Snuggling up to her, he let himself drift off to sleep, secure in the knowledge that, at least for now, everything would be all right.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A big thank you to my wonderful readers who have followed along with this Lucifer and Chloe for so long. I appreciate your taking the time to read this big massive thing, and comment (for those who have commented). You are all awesome! Thank you so very much!


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